Warm Bean Hummus with Sautéed Mushrooms & Homemade Seed Crackers

A simple, comforting dish inspired by the garden and the changing seasons. Creamy white beans, gently warmed with garlic, rosemary and olive oil, make a delicious alternative to traditional chickpea hummus. Topped with golden, pan-fried mushrooms, shallots and fresh thyme, this is a generous dish full of earthy flavours and lovely textures. Served with homemade spelt and seed crackers, it makes a wonderful sharing starter, a light lunch or a relaxed addition to a garden-inspired table which is served at La Table de Nathalie. Best enjoyed warm, with good olive oil and plenty of fresh herbs.

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Serves: 4–6

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Ingredients

For the warm bean hummus

400 g white beans (canned and drained, or soaked and cooked from dried)
3–4 garlic cloves, peeled
60 ml good-quality olive oil
60 ml warm vegetable stock
Juice of ½ to 1 lemon, to taste
1 sprig fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sautéed mushrooms

200 g mixed mushrooms (oyster, shiitake or your choice), cleaned and sliced
1 large shallot, finely sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the homemade seed crackers

100g spelt flour
100g wholemeal flour
50g pumpkin seeds
50g sesame seeds
50g linseeds
50g sunflower seeds
2 tsp fennel seeds
100ml warm water
50ml olive oil
1 tsp salt, plus a little extra for sprinkling

Method

The seed crackers

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).

In a large bowl, combine the spelt and wholemeal flours with all the seeds, fennel seeds and salt. Add the warm water and olive oil, then mix until everything comes together into a soft dough.

Place the dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll out as thinly and evenly as possible. Remove the top sheet, score the dough into rectangles or rustic cracker shapes using a knife or pastry wheel, and sprinkle with a little extra salt.

Bake for 10–12 minutes, until golden and crisp. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack, then break into individual crackers along the scored lines.

The warm bean hummus

Gently warm the olive oil in a small saucepan with the peeled garlic cloves and rosemary sprig. Allow to infuse over a low heat for 3–4 minutes, taking care not to brown the garlic.

Remove the rosemary, then add the drained beans and warm vegetable stock. Stir gently and leave to warm through for about 5 minutes.

Transfer the beans and garlic to a blender or food processor. Add a squeeze of lemon juice, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust the consistency with a little more olive oil or warm stock if needed. Taste and adjust the lemon and seasoning.

Keep warm while preparing the mushrooms.

The mushrooms

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook gently until soft and lightly golden.

Increase the heat, add the mushrooms and sauté for 2–3 minutes until they begin to colour and release their juices.

Add the fresh thyme and continue cooking for another 2 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to become nicely golden. Season with salt and pepper, then finish with a splash of aged balsamic vinegar. Toss everything together and set aside.

To serve

Spoon the warm bean hummus into a wide, shallow serving dish. Use the back of a spoon to create a generous well in the centre.

Pile the sautéed mushrooms and shallots into the middle, allowing their lovely cooking juices to run into the hummus.

Finish with a drizzle of good olive oil, a few fresh thyme leaves and, if available, a little fresh rosemary.

Serve immediately with the homemade seed crackers on the side, ready for dipping and sharing.

A little garden kitchen tip: This recipe is wonderfully adaptable. Try different seasonal mushrooms, add a handful of toasted hazelnuts for extra crunch, or use whatever fresh herbs are growing in the garden. For a fully vegan version, simply replace the butter with olive oil.

Wine

We recommend serving this dish with a glass of Château Marquis d'Alesme 2019.

Its elegant structure, freshness and fine tannins make it a lovely companion to the earthy flavours of the mushrooms and the fragrant notes of rosemary and thyme. The wine's expressive dark fruit character brings an additional layer of richness, while its freshness balances the creamy texture of the beans and the gentle acidity of the balsamic vinegar.

A beautiful pairing for a relaxed lunch or an informal supper around the table, where simple ingredients and good wine are all you need.

What Sally and Wendy think

We love Château Marquis d'Alesme, not only for the delicious wines but also for their relaxed 'Table de Nathalie' one of the best places in the Médoc to drop in for a lunch fresh and seasonal lunch. They always have so many fresh veggie options! We also love the fact that the property is so women-led from the owner to the hospitality team.