When you eat hummus, do you ever think about the toppings that garnish this savory chickpea spread? Hummus with lamb and spiced figs is a great example of how to take what often is thought of as part of a meze or snack, making it a main dish. Read on for how to make this dish and discover the best things to dip in hummus.
Tips for Making Hummus
For this hummus, we used canned chickpeas that are drained and then rinsed. Some people might slip off all the chickpea skins for the creamiest spread, but we found that processing all the ingredients for 2 to 3 minutes yielded a delightfully smooth hummus that also happens to take less than 5 minutes.
Saucy, Savory, and Just a Little Sweet
Hummus with lamb, cooked with figs and spices involves so many flavors that play well together. We prefer our Sun-Maid and Orchard Choice Dried Mission Figs for their deeper sweetness that complements the lamb, but you could also use the Golden Figs for a more delicately sweet flavor.
First, we simmer Mission Figs, cut cross-wise in a combination of pomegranate molasses and water with a squeeze of lime juice, stirring in cinnamon, ginger, cumin, and cayenne, steeping the figs off-heat for 20 minutes so the spices and liquid can fully infuse into the figs. Note: if you don’t have pomegranate molasses available, use 1/2 cup of pomegranate juice and cut the amount of water back to 1/2 cup.
Saute the shallots and brown the ground lamb. Then, mix in the figs and soaking liquid into the skillet, cooking it down until most of the liquid cooks out and the lamb looks glossy.
How to Serve the Hummus with Lamb + Figs
Mound the hummus onto a deep wide bowl and then use the back of a spoon to create a well in the middle. Into the well, spoon the spiced lamb and figs and serve right away while the lamb is still hot.
Best Things to Dip in Hummus
- Pita chips
- Pita bread
- Flatbread
- Lavash
- Carrot sticks
Hummus with Lamb + Spiced Figs
Ingredients
Lamb with Spiced Figs
- 4 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 1 cup water
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
- 1 cup dried figs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 shallot , finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 pound ground lamb
Hummus
- 1 (30oz) can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
- 2 garlic cloves , chopped coarsely
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Juice from 1 lemon
- Kosher salt
- Pine nuts
- Pita chips
Instructions
Make the Spiced Lamb with Figs
- Whisk the pomegranate molasses and water together in a small saucepan. Add lime juice and bring to a simmer with the spices, and sliced figs. Set aside to steep for 20 minutes.
Make the Hummus
- Meanwhile, make the hummus in a food processor, processing the chickpeas with the garlic, tahini, olive oil, and lemon until smooth, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
Finish the Spiced Lamb
- In a large skillet set over medium low heat, saute the shallots in olive oil once it’s shimmering, until they are soft, about 2 minutes. Add the ground lamb and a pinch of salt to the skillet over medium heat, breaking it up and browning it. Grind some fresh black pepper into the skillet. Once the lamb is cooked, add the figs and their soaking liquid to the skillet, cooking until most of the liquid has cooked through and glossy, about 6 minutes.
- Scoop the hummus into a platter and with the back of a spoon, make a deep, wide well in the middle. Spoon the lamb into the well. Garnish with pine nuts. Serve with pita chips.
