Richard’s Hummus RecipeHummus is the MidEastern answer to chip dip, margarine, and mayonnaise. Use it as a spread for chips, crackers, toast, and pita bread. It is ever so much better for you than the stuff you buy in a can or jar from the big processed food companies. It’s pretty tasty too. There are a zillion recipes for hummus on the web. Here’s one I’ve worked out that’s quite good. Ingredients3 15oz cans of chick peas (garbanzo beans) 1 4 1/4 oz can of chopped olives 1 tbsp Tahini (ground sesame seeds) 1 tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter 1 Avacado 1 Bunch of green onions 1 Red pepper 1 tbsp Olive Oil 1 tbsp Lemon juiceThe ingredients are approximate. If you don’t have tahini, add some sesame oil. Roast the red pepper, remove the seeds and pulp (unless you want to keep them), and chop fine. Likewise chop the green onions fine. Drain the cans of chick peas and mash them to a smooth paste. I find that a food mill works best for this, but use whatever works best for you. Similarly mash the avocado to a smooth paste. Put the chick pea paste in a bowl. Add a glob of tahini, a glob of peanut butter, and the avocado paste. Add a splash of lemon juice – about a table spoon of concentrate or the juice of a fresh lemon. Add a splash of olive oil – enough to make the paste moist without being runny. Add the chopped olives, roasted red pepper bit, and scallion bits. Add garlic if you nearest and dearest doesn’t object. Add any other spices that might float your boat – fresh cilantro and fresh dill work well. Mix the whole mess vigorously until everything is blended together. Makes about three pounds. This page was last updated June 1, 2004. |