The name means “hummus with meat.” Traditionally it is made with lamb. We have decided to use beef and add fall accents with the roasted butternut squash. You may serve this dish as an appetizer or as a main course. This is a home-cook version of the dish we served at the CCAP Harvest Moon competition that won the People’s Choice Award.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut in ½-inch dice
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 pounds ground beef (chuck)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, diced in ¼-inch pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1½ teaspoons table salt
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Pita bread or naan (regular size or petite)
- Hummus
- Crispy onions
- Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Instructions
Heat oven to 350°F.
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter, toss the squash cubes in the butter, season with salt and roast in the oven until fully cooked and the edges are starting to brown, about 20 minutes. Pour maple syrup over the squash, shake in the pan to cover evenly and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.
While the squash is roasting, prepare the meat mixture: Place the milk in a flat pan and bring to a simmer. Add the ground beef and start breaking it into small chunks over medium heat. Continue stirring the meat until no traces of red color are left. Remove from the flame, strain and discard the liquid, reserve the meat to the side.
Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a sauté pan, add the onions and cook over medium heat until onions are soft, translucent and starting to slightly caramelize. Add garlic, salt, cumin, coriander, paprika powders, cinnamon, allspice and black pepper. Cook until very fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the cooked meat and stir to combine. Add the roasted butternut squash, stir, cover and keep warm.
Warm the pita or naan bread in the oven, place on a serving plate. Place hummus in the center of each bread, creating a little crater with the back of your spoon. Top the humus with the meat mixture, garnish with crispy onions and parsley. Serve immediately.
If serving as a main course you can build the dish in a bowl and serve the pita bread on the side.
Preparation
Chef Notes:
- Cooking the meat in milk allows the meat to cook without getting tough, thus reducing the cooking time. The milk also contains enzymes and lactic acid which help break down the proteins and soften the collagen.
- Measure and mix all your spices in a bowl before starting to cook the onions so you can add them all at once and cook them evenly.
- Cooking the spices in the onions and butter blooms the essential oils and brings out their flavor.
- The meat and butternut squash can be prepared ahead of time. Keep them separated, reheat and combine before serving.
About this recipe
By Chef Snir Mor and Liberty High School C-CAP. Left to right: Kriston Poe, Liberty High School Culinary Arts Teacher, Isabel Arnowitz, Hanna Neubauer, Taya Pierce, Matthew Dreher, Zachary Garrison, Bria Fogelson, Chef Snir Mor, Sysco.
