Humorus Hummus

Well we, Melissa and I, decided to make hummus from scratch little did we know that it could take all day (hench the humor). We should have known!! We gave each other THAT kind of look that only can say, "since when do we ever do anything that starts simple and ends simpler....NEVER!" Ok maybe...um mm....only once and that was because we had way tooo much sex on the beach (naughty you, hehehe, it is a delicious alcoholic drink) and couldn't remember what we were gonna do nor did we care. That was the day that my hubby became the hunter as opposed to the gatherer went and got KFC to protect his family from us, gee you would have thought we actually planned it so we could have the night off of cooking. We aren't telling either. But here I digress (I seem to do that alot) so I need to press on with this delicious recipe.

Hummus is made from chick peas/garbanzo beans (same bean just called by a different name in some cultures), tahini (a paste made from sesame seeds and olive oil), garlic, lemon juice, water and salt. Sounds simple enough UNLESS you are us! How did we manage to complicate such an easy peasy recipe you ask? Welllllll we didn't go to the store and buy Hummus....oh and the only thing we didn't make was the tahini (I can't remember why either) we bought this from an international food market but do plan on making it from scratch in the future. I have included a recipe at the end just in case you feel adventurous.

Humorus Hummus

Leona says, "Yummers"   Melissa says, "What she said"

 

Equipment needed:

Food processor or blender- I used a processor

Soup pot-for cooking dried beans in

Measuring spoons

Measuring cup- to hold water

Spoon- for scraping sides of processor bowl 

Container with a lid- to store your Hummus in

 

Ingredients: scratch measurements shown first- can/shortcut equivalent recipe in ( ) 

4 cups home cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans- (2- 15/16oz cans- drained, reserving liquid)

2 cups reserved liquid or use tap water

The juice of 2 fresh lemons, at least 7 tablespoons of liquid- (3-5 tablespoons lemon juice) both

          measurement are to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons of Tahini or to taste. Tahini adds a very nice nutty flavor I used 3 tablespoons

1 whole head (with lots of garlic cloves on it) of oven roasted garlic- (3 fresh cloves of garlic or 2

           tablespoons minced or garlic powder) both measurements are to taste

1/2 teaspoon of salt or to taste

2 tablespoons of olive oil- used for drizzling over portioned hummus

 

Pre-prep:

Cook dried chickpeas/garbanzo beans according to package- all we used was water (we didn't want any stray flavors mucking up our hummus, besides we are watching our sodium intake). When beans are tender, drain and reserve liquid. Refrigerate until cool-takes about an hour.

 

While beans are cooking you can juice the lemons and oven roast the garlic

 

To juice fresh lemons- I start with room temperature ones, then roll them on the counter before I cut them. This makes them real juicy. Cut into 3rd, squeeze and reserve juice. Melissa used a spoon to help get out any remaining goodness. If some pulp gets in the juice flavor BONUS!

 

We chose big heads of garlic with lots of garlic cloves on it cause we use a lot of garlic plus it stores well in the refrigerator for later uses. Oven roasted garlic taste mild and sweet so it is hard to use to much...or so Melissa says and since we haven't had any complaints, I'm gonna trust her on this one. For those who don't know how, look under the link "oven roasting veggies". Once they are roasted releasing the cloves from the husk is a bit of gooshy fun. Pull a husk from head, be careful not to smash it, then gently squeeze one end and it pops out the other. I used the whole head.

 

To make:

Put 4 cups of garbonzo beans in processor blend until ground up

Add 1/4th cup of reserve liquid, 7 tablespoons of lemon juice, salt, 3 tablespoons Tahini and roasted garlic to processor. Blend until thoroughly mixed and smooth using reserve liquid as needed.  Stop frequently to scrape down sides, taste test and adjust. The consistency should be thin enough to pour but thick enough to scoop.

 

Portion then drizzle with olive oil- can put a wedge of lemon on the side. Melissa likes to put a pepperchini on hers.

 

Use warm peta bread to scoop up the creamy goodness with.

 

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Here is another Hummus that we made that same day and we liked it so much it didn't last long, we WILL be making it again.

 Popeye the Hummus man





 

Ingredients: scratch measurements shown first- can/shortcut equivalent recipe in ( )

4 cups home cooked garbonzo beans- (2 cans (15oz each) drained, reserving liquid)

1 cup chopped fresh spinach leaves

1/4th cup Tahini

1 whole head (with lots of garlic cloves on it) of oven roasted garlic- (3 fresh cloves of garlic or 2

             tablespoons minced or garlic powder) both measurements are to taste

The juice of 2 fresh lemons, at least 7 tablespoons of liquid- (3-5 tablespoons lemon juice) both

             measurement are to taste

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Fenugreek- this adds such a yummy flavor but more is not always better, trust us on this

             one... we bought this at an international food market

 

Combine beans, garlic, spinach, tahini, fenugreek and olive oil in processor, blend. Add lemon juice and salt blend again. Start adding small amounts of reserve liquid or water while blending until desired consistency.

 

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Now for all you adventurous viewers here is a recipe for Tahini

 

Tahini

5 cups sesame seeds - toasted or untoasted

1 1/2 cups olive oil

 

To toast untoasted sesame seeds

 

Preheat oven to 350. Spread sesame seeds on a cookie sheet to make a single layer. Don't grease sheet. Put in preheated oven toast 5-10 minutes, turning seeds frequently with a spatula.

 

Pour sesame seeds into a food processor, add olive oil. Blend for 2 minutes. Check for consistency. The goal is a thick, yet pourable texture. Add more oil if needed.

Storing Tahini
Tahini should be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container. It will keep for up to 3 months.

 

We welcome all comments and ideas.