Gastronomic illumination

What a nice autumn rain fell today, but oh, the greyness got to me after a few hours. When I'm really hungry for light, bright strong flavors can sometimes take the edge off. Today I needed garlic, and plenty of it. Those of you who came within six feet of me after lunch can verify that I got my fill. Lemon. Vinegar. Garden tomatoes. Cumin—oh, cumin! You were my salvation! On my fight-the-gloom menu this afternoon:

Moroccan Batter Bread
Black Bean Hummus
Freshly roasted tomatoes
Shredded green cabbage and jicama, tossed with rice vinegar, honey, and olive oil
& what might be the last of the season's Charentais melon

These made the day feel not so dreary. Want to give my menu a try and see what it can do for you? Here are my two main recipes:

Moroccan Batter Bread

1/3 cup olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
3 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon honey
1 spilling over cup rice milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350F.
Spray a 11-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment or waxed paper.
Warm the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté till soft. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit.
Mix eggs with honey.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cumin, paprika, and cayenne. Make a well in the center and pour in the oil and onions, eggs and honey, milk, and parsley. Stir until just combined.
Pour batter into the pan. Bake in center of the oven for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick tester comes out clean.
Cool bread in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, peel off paper, and cool completely on rack before slicing.

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Black Bean Hummus

2 cups cooked black beans
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons tahini
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
a shake of crushed red pepper flakes
extra-virgin olive oil
a shake of cayenne (optional)

In a food processor, combine beans, pressed garlic, lemon juice, tahini, salt, cumin, and red pepper flakes and process until desired smoothness, scraping down sides occasionally.
Serve in a bowl and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a shake of cayenne, if desired.

Bon appétit!