ABA’S (@ABARESTAURANT) CHEF CJ JACOBSON DISHES ON HIS FAVORITE FLAVORS TO SATISFY ALL YOUR SEASONAL CRAVINGS.
Cozy up at Aba with this delicious seasonal dish PHOTO BY SAMANTHA BRAUER
The Dish: Butternut Squash Hummus
Inspiration: Our Butternut Squash Hummus exemplifi es Aba’s approach to cuisine. During the holidays, many recipes and dishes use what we call “baking spices,” such as cinnamon, clove, allspice and nutmeg. These spices are primarily used in our desserts or lattes, but around the holidays, in the Eastern Mediterranean region, you will often see savory dishes implementing baking spices.
The making of the dish: For this seasonal hummus dish, I implemented those rich spices while using the bounty of seasonal squash. We roast kabocha, acorn and butternut squash and puree it. Then, magic happens once we add the cinnamon and nutmeg, mixed with some in-house hummus and voila! You have the Butternut Squash Hummus.
Tasting Notes: We garnish the dish with brown butter, pumpkin seeds, freshly grated nutmeg and extra virgin pumpkin seed oil, which makes for a gloriously nutty flavor profile. The result is a creamy and rich dip that evokes the comfort of the holidays.
Pairs With: I love to pair the Butternut Squash Hummus with any cocktail with a solid dousing of amaro, like a Boulevardier or Paper Plane. A warm, toasty rice tea would also pair well!