The fresh Greek feta I bought to make hummus didn’t crumble dryly in my hand. It was wet and rubbery and felt soft but dense against my tongue. It’s saltiness first stung my taste buds, then melted into my palate, smoky and smooth.

I roughly crumbled half of the white feta slab into my food processor, where I had already pureed a hummus base of chick peas, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and olive oil. My kitchen smelled divinely Mediterranean. I pulsed the processor a few times to incorporate the cheese, then loaded in a handful or two of cheap, canned black olives.

Pulse, pulse, pulse. Taste.

Smoky, salty, velvety, and spiked with the zest of garlic and a hint of lemon. The olives and feta complimented each other and rounded out a more robust hummus than my usual attempts.

Photo by Julia Boyle

I took the venison-and-spinach burger that had been patiently waiting for me off the stove and spread a spoonful of freshly made hummus on top. The garlic and feta enhanced the spinach flavor–a pleasant surprise–while the venison held up on its own.

The following night my friend L would be hosting our monthly girls’ night dinner, a Greek theme this time, and my newest hummus creation was ready for its debut.

When I arrived, L handed me a glass of chilled Greek white wine, and my senses went on a heavenly overload. Our friend K was cooking up something sinfully creamy, soft pita triangles sat awaiting my hummus, and tiny tea cookies huddled on the table with a tray of crisp vegetables and cinnamon pita chips.

Photo by Julia Boyle

Once the rest of the girls arrived, we munched and mingled and enjoyed platefuls of Greek fare, glassfuls of white wine, and earfuls of friendly conversation. And when our plates were empty and our glasses dry, we still sat and chatted, as good friends do.

Photo by Julia Boyle

Tip: Get more bang for you buck by adding spinach to your burger meat. It not only adds flavor and nutrition, but it also adds filler. I added about a half bag of thawed frozen spinach to a pound of venison burger, and got an extra one or two patties. This can work for meat loaf or lasagna too.

Recipe: Feta and black olive hummus

1 (16 oz) can chick peas, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 - 3 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 oz fresh feta cheese, crumbled
1 (15 oz) can pitted black olives

Puree chick peas in a food processor until smooth. Add garlic, tahini, and lemon juice, and blend until combined. Add olive oil slowly until hummus is velvety and desired texture is achieved. Add crumbled feta; pulse until roughly incorporated. Add black olives, and pulse again until combined but olives are only roughly chopped. Serve with pita chips or bread, vegetables, or as a spread on a burger.

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