I use a lot of vermouth actually. Obviously it's a fortified wine and so therefore it has a lot of flavor. When I'm doing pastas, for example, I'm using white vermouth sometimes. If I'm doing a seafood pasta with clams, it's amazing. People are like, 'What's that flavor in there?'
I've tasted my way through seven of Ithaca's hummus flavors, and I've come to one definitive conclusion: The brand makes some seriously good hummus. However, some flavors are better than others. I've ranked these hummus varieties from worst to best in an attempt to help you find the flavor you want to try most (or at least let you know what to avoid).
The word 'allium' is the name of a group of vegetables including garlic, onions, chives, leeks and others that are botanically related. Because of the myriad ways they influence flavor, in states ranging from raw to cooked (even burnt), they're culinarily related too.
The star of the show, the meatballs, get seasoned with a mix of crumbled feta, smoked paprika, and cumin, resulting in a tender, flavorful meatball that tastes far more complex than its trim ingredient list might suggest. The rice underneath is just as fun. Speckled with salty pistachios and plump golden raisins, and perfumed by a cardamom pod and a stray cinnamon stick, it strikes the ideal ratio of salty to sweet, contrasting with the savory meatballs.
We're making a cherry tomato dip with some labneh. In this small pot, I'm covering my tomato, garlic, salt and herbs with olive oil. All right. We've got oil bubblage, so I'm going to kill the heat. Pop this lid on top. I want to make sure it's sealed really tightly. Put a pan underneath it to catch any potential drips.
This recipe is fairly simple, but it does require you to use your judgment when adjusting the balance of flavors among the wine's acidity, the butter, and the salt you season with at the end. Not to mention the heat from the harissa, depending on the brand you use. Harissa adds a layer of nuance, offering added body and warmth from spices such as caraway and cumin.