Hummus Bowl — Bringing the Bean Tradition Into the New Year

New Year's Day and the whole family stayed up to midnight for the first time I can remember us actually managing. Daddy made it to eleven fifty-five and then fell asleep on the couch and technically did not make it but we counted him anyway because he was present in the building and that is the spirit of the thing. Mama had champagne. Kayla and I had sparkling grape juice. MawMaw Shirley had her coffee, which she has every night regardless of what time it is, and which I believe is a constitutional right she has granted herself at seventy-three.

Black-eyed peas on New Year's Day, which is the Louisiana tradition: black-eyed peas for luck, greens for money, cornbread for gold. MawMaw Shirley had gone back to Baker the day before so it was Mama who made them, the full version — soaked overnight, cooked with a ham hock and onion and garlic, served with collards and cornbread from scratch. It was not MawMaw Shirley's black-eyed peas but it was very close, because Mama learned from MawMaw Shirley, which means the recipe is in the same family as the original even if it is not the original.

I made a list of goals for 2018. I make lists of goals every year because I am a person who makes lists of goals. The goals this year: first place in the regional science fair, straight As in every class, finish eighth grade in the top of my class, get into the magnet high school program at Scotlandville High on track for the AP science program, learn to make MawMaw Shirley's étouffée without supervision, and read twenty books. These are achievable goals. I intend to achieve them.

The new year felt clean and possible. The food was good. The year ahead was full of things I could work toward. That is, I have decided, everything I need.

Mama’s black-eyed peas that morning were the real thing — ham hock, soaked overnight, slow and serious — and I’ve thought about that meal every New Year’s since. The bean is the thing. Whatever form it takes, there’s something grounding about sitting down to a dish built on a legume at the start of a year, something that says: this is nourishment, this is intention, this counts. When I want to carry that same spirit into a weeknight or a quieter kind of celebration, I come back to a hummus bowl — creamy, layered, built around chickpeas — because it holds the same energy MawMaw Shirley’s kitchen always did: simple food made with care, the kind that makes a year feel possible.

Hummus Bowl

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cans (15 oz each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed, divided
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin, divided
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2–4 tablespoons cold water, as needed
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 English cucumber, diced
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Pita bread or pita chips, for serving

Instructions

1. Roast the chickpeas. Preheat oven to 400°F. Pat one can of chickpeas completely dry with paper towels. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast 18–22 minutes, shaking once halfway, until golden and crisp. Set aside.
2. Make the hummus. Add the second can of chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a food processor. Blend 1 minute, scrape down the sides, then blend another 2–3 minutes, streaming in cold water one tablespoon at a time until the hummus is very smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt or lemon as needed.
3. Prep the vegetables. While the chickpeas roast, combine cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and olives in a small bowl. Season lightly with salt, a drizzle of olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Toss to coat.
4. Assemble the bowls. Spoon a generous portion of hummus into each bowl, using the back of a spoon to create a wide shallow well in the center. Pile the vegetable mixture into the well, then top with roasted chickpeas.
5. Finish and serve. Drizzle each bowl with olive oil and sprinkle with fresh parsley and an extra pinch of smoked paprika if desired. Serve immediately with warm pita bread or pita chips alongside.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 390 | Protein: 14g | Fat: 20g | Carbs: 42g | Fiber: 10g | Sodium: 480mg