Pistachio Hummus & Olive Tapenade Canapés


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Pistachio Hummus & Olive Tapenade Canapés

Served with Pickled Daikon Ribbon, Spicy Asparagus Coconut Cream & Fresh Dill. These quinoa, pumpkin, and flax seed crackers are topped with rich pistachio hummus and a bold black olive tapenade infused with seaweed, delivering a deep umami hit. A touch of lemon and fresh asparagus brings brightness and seasonal balance.
Serves 4
Prep Time3 hours
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time3 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

Quick Seaweed Pickled Daikon

  • ¼ daikon radish sliced vertically into 4 ribbons
  • ½ cup white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill
  • 1 spring onion chopped
  • Optional: additional pickled nori for garnish

Asparagus Tips

  • Tips from 10 asparagus spears reserve stalks for the coconut cream

Spicy Asparagus Coconut Cream

  • ½ can coconut milk
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp chili flakes or ½ bird’s eye chili
  • 1 tsp maple syrup
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • Remaining asparagus stalks

Crackers Makes ~10

  • ½ cup flaxseeds golden or brown, soaked
  • ½ cup pumpkin seeds soaked
  • ⅓ cup quinoa soaked
  • 1 tbsp sea salt or to taste
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum optional – if dough is too wet
  • Olive oil for brushing

Pistachio Hummus

  • 1 tsp grated lemon peel
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½-1 garlic clove to taste
  • 400 g cannellini beans
  • 150 g pistachio kernels deskinned
  • ¼ cup cold water
  • 1 tbsp sea salt or to taste
  • 1 tsp maple syrup

Olive Tapenade

  • 100 g pitted black olives
  • Handful of cherry tomatoes
  • ½-1 garlic clove
  • 1 sheet nori seaweed
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika

Garnish

  • Optional: slivers of pickled nori
  • Fresh dill fronds

Instructions

Quick Pickled Daikon

  • Mix vinegar, peppercorns, maple syrup, dill, and chopped spring onion to create a brine.
  • Slice daikon vertically into long, thin ribbons.
  • Submerge ribbons in the brine and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
  • Optional: Pickle extra strips of nori in the same brine for garnish.

Pistachio Hummus & Spicy Asparagus Coconut Cream

  • Place the pistachios in a saucepan with 2-3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Let them simmer for 2 minutes, then drain and set aside to cool.
  • Once cooled, transfer the pistachios onto a clean kitchen towel, fold the towel over, and gently rub to remove the skins. Separate the green kernels from the skins by hand.
  • Hummus: Blend cannellini beans, pistachio kernels, cold water, olive oil, lemon juice, grated lemon peel, garlic, sea salt, and maple syrup until smooth and creamy.
  • Cream: Blend coconut milk, asparagus stalks, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, chili flakes or bird’s eye chili, maple syrup, and sea salt until silky and fully combined.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Olive Tapenade

  • Roughly chop olives, tomatoes, garlic, and nori by hand or pulse coarsely in a blender – don’t over-blend.
  • Stir in smoked paprika.
  • Chill until ready to use.

Crackers

  • Soak flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, and quinoa for at least 1 hour. Drain thoroughly.
  • Preheat oven to 190°C.
  • Add sea salt.
  • Add xanthan gum (if needed), mixing into a dough.
  • Cut two sheets of unbleached baking paper and brush both with olive oil.
  • Place one oiled sheet on a baking tray, add dough, and cover with the second oiled sheet (oil side down).
  • Press down with a second tray or flat plate to flatten evenly.
  • Use a cookie cutter or glass to cut into cracker rounds.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the crackers.
  • Bake for another 15 minutes until crisp & golden.

Asparagus

  • Heat a frying pan with a lid on medium.
  • Add ½ cup of water and the asparagus spears.
  • Cover and steam (water fry) for 5 minutes.
  • Cut the tips off and leave the stalks for the cream.
  • Rinse with cold water immediately, drain, and refrigerate until cool.

Plating & Assembly

  • Build the canapés:
  • Place each quinoa cracker on a serving tray.
  • Top with a spoonful of pistachio hummus.
  • Add a layer of olive tapenade.
  • Finish with a chilled asparagus tip.
  • Plate accompaniments:
  • Place a single ribbon of pickled daikon artfully on the plate.
  • Spoon the spicy asparagus coconut cream to one side of the daikon in a natural swoosh or teardrop.
  • Garnish the daikon and cream with fresh dill fronds and a slice of pickled seaweed (optional).

Serve:

  • Chilled or at room temperature.
  • Best enjoyed fresh.

Notes

Allergen advice: Nuts (pistachios)
Recipe by: Tuomo Paananen