The flavours in this dish are very much inspired by North African cuisine, yet the use of bison gives it a local flair. The simplified hummus is a nice compliment to the spiced bison and letting your guests make wraps with butter lettuce leaves adds a nice touch of interaction with the food. I didn’t list the lettuce leaves in the recipe, though it is a fun way to present this combination.
Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 pound ground bison 2 large shallots – chopped 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cumin ¼ teaspoon chili powder ¼ teaspoon turmeric ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper ¼ cup fresh mint – chopped 14 ounce can chickpeas – rinsed and drained 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 clove garlic – very finely chopped or crushed ½ teaspoon paprika ¼ cup water 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oilPreparation:
For the bison, preheat a heavy cast pan on medium-high then add the bison, stirring and breaking apart for three minutes.
Add the shallots and cook, stirring often for another three minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste, ½ teaspoon of salt, the cinnamon, cumin, chili, turmeric and pepper, cooking for five more minutes.
Remove from heat and top with the mint.
For the hummus, place the chickpeas, remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, the lemon juice, garlic, paprika and water in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is nearly smooth, then run the blade constantly while drizzling in the olive oil.
Serve the hummus alongside the bison.