There are plenty of unsung heroes on a holiday table—the last sugar cookie on the platter, quickly gobbled before any kids see, the one obligatory salad shoved to the side, the mulled wine your cousin brought that's mostly brandy—but one staple, in particular, seems to get lost in the sea of cheese plates and charcuterie boards: the dips. For anyone looking to add a bit more luxury and flair to their holiday spreads, chef Michael Mina shared this recipe for foie gras and hummus from his latest cookbook, My Egypt: Cooking from My Roots (published by Voracious).
This new book is a symbol of Mina’s decade-long “return home.” Early in his rise in California’s dining scene, Mina says he went out of his way "to cook everything but” Egyptian cooking. After establishing his uber-popular Bourbon Steak group (which features six Best of Award of Excellence winners) and Stripsteak, more recently Mina has expanded to Mediterranean-focused restaurants, like Best of Award of Excellence winner Orla in Las Vegas and its sister location in Santa Monica, which opened this fall.
“About six years ago, I introduced Egyptian dishes to the tasting menu at Michael Mina, which was my Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco,” the chef told Wine Spectator. “As my team and I began researching and traveling to Egypt to develop the menu, I was hit with nostalgia for all the ingredients and flavors I grew up eating. The more I learned, the more I wanted to tell the culinary story of Egypt. Having moved to rural Washington from Cairo at such a young age, I spent so much of my life trying to assimilate to American culture. These trips back to Egypt showed me that this country has always been part of me and influenced the way I approach food and cooking, so it felt like an incredible opportunity to share my story with the world and shine a light on this beautiful culture.”
With My Egypt, Mina hopes to break the misconception that Egyptian cooking is “unapproachable or too complicated” to make at home. Recipes that he absolutely wanted in the book include salt-baked fish and koshari, a mixed platter of chickpeas, pasta and tomato sauce, topped with fried onions. “There truly is something for everyone when it comes to Egyptian cuisine,” says Mina.
Mina considers this recipe for hummus with cauliflower, foie gras and pomegranate seeds another essential for inclusion in My Egypt: Based on ancient Egyptian artworks depicting farmers stuffing birds with food, it’s been suggested that the pharaohs were the first to consume foie. However, Cairo-born archaeologist Dr. Mennat-Allah El Dorr, who Mina cites in the book, argues that the hieroglyphs referenced to prove this theory show that ancient Egyptians were fattening birds for plenty of reasons besides eating the liver.
“I’m coming at this story as a chef,” writes Mina in the forward to My Egypt. “And I like to imagine the pharaohs living large and eating foie gras. Consider this a tribute to what may (or may not have) happened during the time of Ramses the Great.”
To Mina, this combo works well because the fatty, gamey foie gras calls for something “lighter and zestier” like a nutty hummus dressed with juicy pomegranate seeds and grassy, lemony za’atar. To sip alongside this and a whole suite of appetizers, Mina turns to two “Swiss Army knife” white wine pairings: Chenin Blanc and Riesling.
“The harmonious balance of bright citrus and ripe stone fruits coupled with brisk acidity work perfectly with the main components of the dish,” says Mina. “Both varietals cut through the intensity of the foie gras and match it bite for bite with their lush richness on the palate. Each wine also helps lift and complement the hummus and cauliflower preparations with a matched spicy quality that echoes the seasonings of the dish. Absolutely delicious!”
To help round out your holiday line-up, Wine Spectator’s editors have selected 11 Chenin Blancs, Rieslings and other white wines great for any winter bash, all scoring 87 points and or higher. These picks range from a Reisling value from Down Under to Pinot Bianco from the foothills of Italy’s Dolomites.
“For me, the holidays are all about spending time with my family,” says Mina. “We will be celebrating at home this year, and while I haven’t decided what I’m cooking yet, we will enjoy a big holiday spread!”
Hummus with Cauliflower, Pomegranate and Foie Gras
Excerpted from My Egypt: Cooking from My Roots by Michael Mina with Adam Sobel and Kate Leahy (Voracious). Copyright © 2024
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cored
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- Fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted pistachios
- 1 1/2 cups (350 grams) store-bought hummus, at room temperature
- 10 ounces (284 grams) foie gras, cut into 1-inch cubes (see “Prepping and Cooking Foie Gras” below)
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- Chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Pinches of za’atar
1. Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets no bigger than 1 inch (2.5 centimeters), cutting away any extra core so that the florets will cook evenly. You should have about 4 1⁄2 cups (1 liter) of florets.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the cauliflower and cook until caramelized, about 5 minutes, then transfer to a medium bowl. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and cauliflower, add to the same bowl, and mix in 1⁄4 teaspoon salt and the pomegranate molasses and pistachios. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel.
3. Spread the hummus at the base of a serving platter or bowl and spoon the cauliflower on top.
4. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Season the foie gras evenly with salt and add to the skillet. Sear until brown on one side, then shake the pan to release the pieces and use a spoon to turn them over to sear the other side, basting occasionally with the melted foie fat, until the cubes have a nearly melted interior, about 1 minute. Leaving the fat in the pan, spoon the cubes onto the cauliflower and scatter the pomegranate seeds and parsley on top. Sprinkle with the za’atar and serve immediately. Serves four to six.
Prepping and Cooking Foie Gras
Have everything ready to go before cooking the foie gras, since it cooks rapidly. As an alternative to searing it in a skillet, you can skewer and grill it very briefly, turning after a few seconds just to char the exterior but before the center becomes molten. When buying foie gras, look for a nice pink color and avoid gray pieces, which means the liver has started to oxidize. When slicing it into cubes, trim away any significant veins you come across, but don’t worry about the smaller ones. It’s more important that the pieces are even in size so they cook in roughly the same amount of time.
11 Winter White Wines to Get the Party Started
Winzer Krems
Riesling Kremstal Kremser Kreuzberg Reserve 2022
Score: 91 | $29
WS Review: Petrol and smoke notes give way to salted agave and lemon zest in this intriguing version. Hints of warm hay, eucalyptus, tea and meadow flowers add detail, all built around a saline mineral spine. Juicy and long, with mouthwatering acidity and ample green herb elements. Drink now through 2030.—Kristen Bieler
Cantina Terlano
Pinot Bianco Alto Adige Tradition 2023
Score: 90 | $26
WS Review: Lithe and graceful, this bright sipper dances across the palate with flavors of Honeycrisp apple, peach skin, blanched almond, orchard blossoms and pickled ginger. Drink now..—Alison Napjus.
Jean-Claude & Christophe Pichot
Vouvray Sec Domaine Coteau de la Biche 2022
Score: 90 | $24
WS Review: Round and full, with a sunny profile of tea, apple and lilac blossoms, plus a hint of buttercream, all on a polished palate. Fennel and sage underbrush elements add savory detail. With a lot of friendly fruit notes up front, this is a pleasure to drink. Drink now through 2030.—K.B.
Mullineux
Chenin Blanc Swartland Kloof Street Old Vine 2022
Score: 90 | $23
WS Review: Bright and expressive, with an appealing range of pineapple and kiwi fruit, tangerine peel, Marcona almond and ginger biscuit. Well-cut, with herb, spice and mineral notes on the zesty finish. Drink now through 2028.—A.N.
A.A. Badenhorst Family
Chenin Blanc Swartland Secateurs 2023
Score: 90 | $21
WS Review: Fragrant and well-spiced, with apple peel acidity enlivening a silky range of baked peach, dried raspberry, dried mint and mandarin orange peel flavors. A rich hint of honeycomb shows on the finish. Drink now through 2028. 25,000 cases produced, 4,000 imported.—A.N.
August Kesseler
Riesling Rheingau R 2022
Score: 89 | $18
WS Review: Off-dry and juicy, with a pure beam of fruit—candied white grapefruit and crunchy apple—that's round, ripe and cut with piercing acidity. Smoke and pink peppercorn notes mark the well-balanced finish, with a kick of bitterness and chalky mineral elements. Drink now.—K.B.
Raats Family
Chenin Blanc Polkadraai Hills Original Unoaked 2023
Score: 89 | $18
WS Review: A lively and well-cut white that shows a salty underpinning, with notes of tangerine, pink grapefruit granita and white blossoms. Snappy finish. Drink now.—A.N.
Nik Weis
Riesling Mosel Urban 2023
Score: 89 | $14
WS Review: Open-knit and inviting, with a gentle mix of orchard fruit and subtle warm hay notes. Slightly off-dry, showing honeysuckle high tones and waxiness on the palate. Mouthwatering acidity and lemon zest clean up the finish, which is marked by chalky mineral elements and a waft of smoke. Delicious. Drink now.—K.B.
Colterenzio
Pinot Bianco Alto Adige Cora 2023
Score: 88 | $19
WS Review: A fresh, snappy, light-bodied white, offering notes of apricot, pear, mandarin orange and white blossoms through the juicy, spiced finish. Drink now.—A.N.
Frisk
Riesling Victoria Prickly 2023
Score: 88 | $12
WS Review: Offers a fresh, zingy mix of lime, pomelo and fresh ginger on a light, semisparkling frame, with a hint of pear drop on the finish. Drink now.—MaryAnn Worobiec.
A.A. Badenhorst Family
Curator White Coastal Region 2023
Score: 87 | $13
WS Review: A creamy white, lightly juicy and lively, offering notes of baked melon, graham cracker and preserved lemon. Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier and Colombard. Drink now.—A.N.
