i like it hot in here

The weather has been HOTT and I'm not complaining. I like an early summer which means only good things like popsicles, bbqs and hanging out at the beach. Last night I had a friend over and I didn't want to turn on the oven or do anything that would increase the already HOTT temperature in my kitchen, so I made a meal out of 2 dips and a very hearty salad. As my friend Kristen can attest, the meal was flavourful and delicious and can definitely stand up to repeat makings in the HOTT summer weather.

simple hummous
Dip number one was my simple hummous recipe, which is simply a drained and rinsed can of chickpeas dumped into a blender along side 3 plump cloves of garlic, 3 heaping T of tahini, 2 T cumin, a pinch of cayenne pepper, a few large drops of hot sauce, juice of 1 lemon, salt & pepper, 1-2 T water and 1-2 T olive oil. Blend. If it's too thick, add a bit more water. Done!

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Dip number two, was the very delicious white bean dip posted by poco-cocoa. I followed the recipe pretty closely, except that I used less oil and more garlic. Beyond tasty!!

white bean dip
2 T plus 2 T olive oil
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t salt, plus more to taste
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c (loosely packed) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 T fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
4 garlic cloves

In a blender, combine beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add in the olive oil until the mixture is creamy and smooth. Season the puree with more salt and pepper to taste.

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The salad I conjoured up was a bit unusual since I never use pearl barley except in soups. Here, it's the main grain and works nicely. Colourful, a bit different and so good.

white, red & green barley salad
6 c water
1 2/3 c. pearl barley
1 red pepper, chopped
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1/4 of a red onion, choppped fine
1 granny smith apple, chopped
1/2 c raisins

Dressing:
1 lemon, juiced plus grated rind
3 T olive oil
salt & pepper
1/2 T cumin
1 t dried dill

1. Boil water in a large pot and add barley. Turn down heat and cover until barley is tender about 45 minutes. Drain and rinse barley until water runs clear. Barley should still be warm to help absorb the dressing.

2. Add barley to large bowl and add red pepper, red onion, apple, raisins.

3. In a small bowl, mix dressing ingredients together until thickened. Add to salad and mix well.

Serve at room temperature or chill until ready to eat.