Moroccan Style Beef with Hummus
My wife and I were on hummus kick not too long ago. I was making a batch at least once a week, and we were eating it as a side dish for lunch, dinner, and snack. The thing I love about hummus is that not only is it good for you (in small amounts), but it is a quick go to dip for vegetables, pita, and even a spread on a sandwich. So that got me thinking. Why not extend hummus and make it part of the main entree, and in my case a moroccan style beef that was loaded with awesome, earthy spices, and could be swiped up with some pita. It was awesome, and the moroccan style beef gave me all sorts of ideas, such as making a shepherds pie out of it.
Let’s get started.
Ingredients for the Hummus:
- 16 oz can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- water
- 1 cup tahini paste
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 4 cloves garlic
- 6 tbsp cold water
- salt, to taste
Ingredients for the Moroccan Style Ground Beef:
- 1 1/2 lbs ground sirloin
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp Moroccan spice blend (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp all spice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 1 large shallot, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 1 medium-sized carrot, finely diced
- 1/2 cup of frozen peas
- 3/4 cup of beef stock
- Mixed olive medley (optional)
- Whole wheat pita, optional
Start by making your hummus.
To a small pot, add the cannellini beans (yes, go ahead with chickpeas if you desire (I bought the wrong can)), top with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for about 5 minutes. Â Drain the beans.
To a food processor, add the beans, the lemon juice, tahini paste, and garlic. Season with a generous pinch of salt. Process the mixture until you have a smooth paste, then drizzle in the cold water. Pulse, taste, and season with any additional salt. Remove and place in a covered bowl in the refrigerator until you are ready to use.
Now let’s get started on the Moroccan style ground beef.
To a large skillet, on medium heat, add the ground sirloin. Toss in all of the spices, and give it a good mix. Once the ground sirloin is fully cooked, drain and return it back to the stove, on medium heat. Toss in all of the vegetables, garlic, etc. Give a good stir, then add the beef stock. Stir, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for about ten minutes, and let the stock reduce.
Now you are ready to serve. Warm the pita bread.
Spread a nice amount of hummus onto your serving dish. Top with a generous amount of the Moroccan style ground beef, and place a few olives on the dish, along with the warm pita. Â Take some pita and pick up the ground beef and hummus together. Fall in love.
The flavors and combination of the two, along with intervals of the briny olives, make this a super filling and comforting dish. I hope you enjoy.
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
