Celebrate Fall With These Classic Mediterranean Dishes by José Andrés

Chef José Andrés Butternut Hummus, Shawarma Spice Roast Chicken, and Saffron Pilaf make the perfect meal for two. AARP (Francois Nel/Getty Imagess; Thomas Schauer/Courtesy HarperCollins

Publishers, 4) Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Jump to recipes Butternut Hummus • Shawarma Spice Roast Chicken • Saffron Pilaf

I love being home in Washington, D.C., when fall really sets in. The trees in my neighborhood are an explosion of bright yellow and fiery red colors, and my farmers market is loaded with

vegetables such as squash, pumpkin, turnips and Brussels sprouts.

It’s the time of year when I start to look beyond the ripe tomatoes and grilled seafood of late summer and think more about roasts, soups, and warm spices like cumin, turmeric and nutmeg.

They're classic flavors that can be found in abundance at my Zaytinya restaurants, where we celebrate the cuisine of the Eastern Mediterranean.

For this Menus for Two, I'm sharing recipes for my Butternut Hummus, Shawarma Spice Roast Chicken, and Saffron Pilaf. These seasonal dishes come from my newest cookbook, Zaytinya: Delicious

Mediterranean Dishes from Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon.

I’ve combined a few of my favorite fall flavors with these regional spices to create a meal perfect for any night of the week, inspired by dishes found in my cookbook. Even better, these

recipes can be doubled if you want to serve them at a holiday feast. 

Thomas Schauer/Courtesy HarperCollins Publishers

There seem to be endless versions of hummus these days, from what gets pureed to what goes on top. I love this version, a take on a classic Lebanese dish of pumpkin and tahini. Butternut

squash is a perfect fall ingredient that’s a little easier to work with. You can find precut squash in most grocery stores. However, if you pick up a whole squash from your farmers market,

just use one half of it for soup and the other half for hummus. Look for kabocha, honeynut, acorn or other seasonal squash. With no chickpeas in this dish, maybe it’s not technically

“hummus” (the Arabic word for chickpea), but with its creamy rich flavor from the tahini, it’s certainly a cousin.

Ingredients

roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)Pita bread or pita chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the squash in the teaspoon of olive oil and season with salt. Spread the squash on a parchment-lined baking tray and roast until soft and edges are lightly

golden, about 25 minutes. Set aside for 15 minutes to cool.

Put the squash in the bowl of a food processor and add the ¼ cup of olive oil and tahini. Puree until you have a nice, fluffy mixture. Scrape down the sides as necessary. If it's too thick,

add a little cold water until you get a smooth consistency. Season to taste with salt.