RFCJ RECIPE ARCHIVE
Posted by : Karen Selwyn Hummus, Faye Levy's Easy - pareve
We already have 8 hummus recipes in the archives, but I decided to send this along since the introduction may be even more useful than the recipe. Karen Selwyn * * * * * * * * * "Israelis are hooked on hummus... Purists insist hummus must be prepared the old-fashioned way, with garlic, lemon juice and tahini (a sesame seed sauce) or olive oil. But creative American cooks do not treat the traditional recipe as if it came from Mount Sinai. They make hummus in new flavors, such as roasted pepper hummus, olive hummus, spicy hummus, double garlic hummus, tomato-basil hummus, hummus with eggplant and sun-dried tomato hummus. Hummus became such a commercial hit that some companies started selling dips as "hummus," using other beans instead of chickpeas. Yet hummus in Arabic and in Hebrew is the word for chickpeas, not for dip, so concoctions labeled "black bean hummus" make Israelis and Arabs smile. ...The dictionary describes hummus as "a Middle Eastern spread or dip," but it's actually something in between - thinner than a spread and thicker than a dip. The traditional way to serve hummus is on a plate, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled lightly with ground red (cayenne) pepper or paprika and with chopped parsley. For Jerusalem hummus, sprinkle with toasted pine nuts. Classic hummus is well seasoned but not hot. Many people in the Middle East serve a hot pepper dip or green or red chili chutney alongside it, for those who want extra heat." Faye Levy FAYE LEVY'S EASY HUMMUS 2 large cloves garlic 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed 3 to 4 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste or sesame butter) OR olive oil, see note 3 to 4 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice About 1/4 cup water Salt Ground red (cayenne) pepper Olive oil, for drizzling Paprika or more ground red (cayenne) pepper, for sprinkling 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley Mince garlic in food processor. Add chickpeas; process to chop. Add tahini, 3 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/4 cup water and puree until finely blended. Add more water if necessary so that mixture has consistency of a smooth spread. Season to taste with salt, red pepper and more lemon juice if needed. To serve, spread hummus on plate; sprinkle with olive oil, paprika and chopped parsley. Yield: 2 1/2 cups; about 8 servings. Note: If you're making the hummus with tahini, use the thick paste rather than the prepared tahini sauce. As a variation, to make roasted red pepper hummus, puree 2 peeled roasted red bell peppers (home-roasted or from a jar) and blend the puree with the hummus. Source: "FAYE LEVY COOK IT QUICK : American cooks enjoy spicing up hummus recipes" Faye Levy ST. LOUIS POST (on-line edition), 7/26/99
