Roasted red pepper, cucumber and garlic hummus naan wraps with cilantro chutney

Memorial Day is just around the corner, marking the beginning of my favorite summer activity: picnics in the sun. Hopefully San Francisco’s weather will cooperate. If not, I’m packing up the family and heading to bluer skies in wine country.

Some of my favorite picnic memories from the past few years include the one time we shucked oysters and drank white wine by the water in Point Reyes. Or the many caprese salad sandwiches watching the sunset at Baker Beach. Before we had Lulu, K and I took an epic camper van trip across New Zealand, where we made a picnic-worthy chicken curry out of the back of our van and ate it cross-legged on the beach with a couple of beers to wash it all down.

Now that we have a toddler, picnics are a weekly activity. But, for now, oysters, caprese sandwiches and spicy chicken curry are a thing of the past. Plus, with all the gear we now have to haul around, our picnics need to be much simpler. Wraps, sandwiches and salads in a jar are more like it these days, yet there's still plenty of ways we're finding to make them interesting. Today, I'll start with sharing my tips for a delicious wrap.

I've learned that there are a few essential elements that go into making a great wrap. The first is choosing the right bread. Time and time again, naan has proven to be a the best option for this kind of thing. It’s sturdy and chewy, with a little crisp bite after just a few minutes in the oven. (I’ve been experimenting with making homemade naan on the skillet, so I’ll share that recipe soon.)

The next key is some sort of creamy spread or sauce to pack in all the flavor, so that you can keep the remaining ingredients simple. Hummus is usually my spread of choice — especially flavored hummus, which can make anything instantly more tasty all on its own. Lately I’ve been experimenting with a few of Garden Fresh Gourmet’s flavors, such as organic roasted red pepper, roasted garlic and poblano corn. Super tasty organic and packed with only the best ingredients. The brand also uses roasted chickpeas as its base, which takes the flavor up a notch. You can find them at select stores nationwide here.

For the filler, a combination of soft and crunchy vegetables keep the texture interesting. I like roasting an ingredient or two, like the red peppers in the recipe below, and pairing it with crunchy vegetables, such as thinly sliced cucumbers, carrots or radishes.

Lastly, fresh herbs sprinkled on at the end will take any wrap from mediocre to just the right kind of special. Fresh herbs make things look lovely, to boot.

Here’s a wrap I whipped up with in partnership with Garden Fresh Gourmet with all these elements, and then some. All opinions stated are my own.

Sweet roasted red peppers paired with crisp cucumber and spicy red onion are the perfect combo for this chewy naan flatbread. Roasted garlic hummus and a slightly spicy cilantro chutney add a creamy element and pack this wrap full of summery flavors that make it perfect for a weekend picnic or lunch.

COOKING NOTES

Slicing your veggies as thinly as possible will make this wrap easy to eat. When making the chutney, feel free to add a little water if it’s still too thick after blending. To keep them together, you can pin the top with a little toothpick.

MAKES 4 WRAPS

INGREDIENTS

For the flatbread
2 red bell peppers
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 whole-wheat naan
½ cup Garden Fresh Gourmet roasted garlic hummus
1 large cucumber, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup cup fresh mint leaves
Kosher salt

For the cilantro chutney
½ bunch fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ cup yogurt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 serrano pepper, sliced
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon Kosher salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the peppers on a cooking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Place in the oven and roast until the skins are completely wrinkled and the peppers are slightly charred, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and let cool. Keep the oven on.
While the peppers are roasting, make the cilantro chutney. In a blender or food processor, add all of the chutney ingredients. Pulse on high until blended and the chutney is mostly smooth. You can mix in a tablespoon or two of water if it seems too thick.
Once the pepper are roasted and cooled, remove the tops and seeds. Then slice into thin strips. You can remove the skin or keep it on, depending on your preference. (I like to eat the skins).
Place the naan slices on a sheet pan and toast in the oven until just crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.
To assemble, spread about two tablespoons of the roasted garlic hummus on each slice of naan. Top with the roasted bell pepper, cucumber, red onion and mint. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with the cilantro chutney.
Wrap them up and serve!

Roasted red pepper, cucumber and garlic hummus naan wraps with cilantro chutney