I'm a snacker. Always have been. As a kid I could get home from school, pop open a standard bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos and take that sucker out before the end of my first Gilligan's Island rerun. I was lucky back then to have the metabolism of a hummingbird and my snacking wasn't a huge problem. As the years have worn on however, the chips, dips and assorted goodies have started taking their toll on my svelte, male-model-like physique. Enter hummus. Quite possibly the perfect go-to dip for anything from veggies, to pita bread, to (dare I say it) corn chips. Even better, hummus is nutrient dense and a great source of fiber and protein.
I searched the world (well the world wide web anyway), for the perfect hummus recipe and after much trial, tribulation and error, finally settled on a "Jerusalem" hummus that has been making the interweb rounds for quite some time. What follows is MY interpretation of this delectable treat, based upon the foundations of that well-known and loved Jerusalem juggernaut.
Firstly, I'm by nature a fairly lazy fellow when allowed, so I opt for canned chickpeas rather than going through the tortuous and time consuming process of cooking dry chickpeas. However, if going native is your thing, there is plenty of advice on cooking said dry peas instantly available via your favorite search-engine. I shan't go into such things here.
Hummus Amongus
Ingredients List:
Directions:
Drain chickpeas and transfer the liquid to a bowl big enough to add a generous amount of ice cubes. Place the beautiful little chickpea orbs into a food processor and get your frustration out by blending them into a paste. Ignore their pathetic little screams. Add the tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic (and maybe more garlic) and about 1.5 teaspoons salt. Blend again. The paste will get thicker and more resistant but don't give in to the desire to stop the pea torture. If you have a standard food processor, slowly drizzle in the pea liquid that you've had on ice and allow it to mix until you get a very smooth and creamy consistency. If, like me, you have a blender or some other sort of pea torture device, just stop, add a few ounces of liquid and reblend, repeating as necessary to achieved the glorious end result.
At this point, you should probably transfer the hummus to a bowl, cover it and let it rest for a half-hour or so, but if you're like me the site and smell of this delicious treat will overcome you and you'll dive right in. Enjoy it with anything you'd normally plunge into a vat of dip. If for some reason you have any leftovers, this hummus should keep just fine in the refrigerator for at least a couple of days.
If you're feeling especially adventurous, there are a couple of modifications I've tried with great success that can take your hummus to dizzying new heights of yumminess. Try roasting a sweet, red pepper and adding to the blender or try substituting a good quality Cajun seasoning blend in place of the salt. Also, I often throw several dashes of my favorite hot sauce in the blender to taste to add flavor and heat when in the mood for a spicier treat.
If anyone comes up with another fine addition to this recipe, please leave a note in the comments.
