The Sailor's Life Boat Crudité

Description

Source: ALICE in WONDERLAND THE OFFICIAL COOKBOOK - ELENA CRAIG & S. T. BENDE

Should one ever find oneself up a proverbial creek, an errant boat would prove to be most helpful. If no such vessel can be found, then perhaps one might be made—from fresh, crisp cucumbers! These refreshing, boat-shape snacks might not provide a suitable life raft, but they make for an excellent means by which to transport dip. In the words of Wonderland’s most verbose Dodo, “Ahoy! And other nautical expressions!”

Ingredients

• One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup tahini paste
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Four 8-inch flour tortillas
• 2 cucumbers
• 4 to 6 baby carrots

Directions

1. To make the hummus: Add chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, tahini paste, oil, salt, and paprika to the bowl of a food processor.
2. Process until the ingredients have a smooth, uniform consistency.
3. To make the sails: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
4. Cut tortillas into triangle slices, like a pizza, with approximately 1-inch bases on the outside edge.
5. Each tortilla should yield 14 to 16 triangles.
6. Place slices on an ungreased baking sheet, and bake 5 to 7 minutes until crisp.
7. Let the tortillas cool completely before using them as decoration in the cucumber boats.
8. When they are cooled, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
9. To assemble the boats: Peel the cucumbers, and cut them in half crosswise.
10. Then slice each half in half again, lengthwise.
11. Scoop out the seeds and cut each piece in half lengthwise again to create a narrow boat shape.
12. Blot each “boat” dry.
13. Slice the baby carrots into ¼-inch discs.
14. Fill each boat with approximately 2 tablespoons of hummus.
15. Gently place the short sides of two crisp tortilla triangles close together down into the hummus, to create the “sails.”
16. Gently press a carrot disc into the hummus at the back of the boat and up on the edge for the “motor.”

Yield: About 16 boats and 1 ½ cups hummus