Hummus — also known as garbanzo bean dip — has become extremely popular throughout Europe and in many parts of the U.S. It’s a pungent garlic-and-lemon-flavored dip made from garbanzo beans and a sesame seed paste called tahini.
Hummus originated in the Mediterranean part of the Middle East. The name of the dish is Arabic, but the Turks, Israelis and Greeks make it to their own specifications and spelling.
You can buy hummus, but homemade hummus tastes better and is much cheaper.
Traditionally, all of the ingredients were pounded in a pestle and mortar. But it is much easier to make it in a food processor, and doing so doesn’t change the flavor.
Hummus is a filling dip that is easy and affordable to make, especially for a crowd. It’s a great addition to any picnic or buffet, or simply on its own with bread.
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Ingredients:
2 to 4 cloves of garlic (according to taste) peeled and roughly chopped
1 16-ounce can garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas), thoroughly drained
Juice of one lemon
« cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt (or more according to your taste)
ª cup tahini (Find it in the kosher foods section of a supermarket or health food store.)
Pita bread and raw vegetables for dipping
Instructions:
1. Process the garlic in a food processor with the drained garbanzo beans, salt and lemon juice until it is a smooth puree.
2. Add olive oil and process further.
3. Once you are satisfied with the taste, texture and seasoning, add the tahini. Process. Tahini is added last because it thickens the mixture considerably.
4. Pour it into a shallow dish and make a small indentation in the middle. Pour a little extra virgin olive oil into the indentation and serve with pita bread and vegetables.
Variations:
• You can use powdered garlic, but it will taste much more like the store bought variety.
• Change the flavoring of the hummus by adding any of the following ingredients any time before adding the tahini: sun dried tomatoes in oil; chopped olives, raw chilies or a chili condiment; or cooked spinach and grated nutmeg.
• My favorite variation is to make it into a complete meal. Sauté four ounces of ground lamb or beef until thoroughly cooked, add a handful of pine nuts and season to taste. Then, pile the meat mixture into the center of the hummus while still hot. Serve with warm pita bread and quarters of sweet pepper, spears of Romaine lettuce and red onion. Use any raw vegetable for dipping, such carrots, celery or cucumber.
Susan Havers is owner and chef of the historic Elk Mountain Hotel. She has a diploma in cuisine and pastry from l’Ecole de Cordon Bleu in Paris. For more information, see www.elkmountainhotel.com.
Susan Havers is owner and chef of the historic Elk Mountain Hotel. She has a diploma in cuisine and pastry from l’Ecole de Cordon Bleu in Paris. For more information, see www.elkmountainhotel.com.
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Susan Havers is owner and chef of the historic Elk Mountain Hotel. She has a diploma in cuisine and pastry from l'Ecole de Cordon Bleu in Paris. For more information, see www.elkmountainhotel.com.
