Hummus Heaven

A couple of weeks ago, I went to a backyard barbecue at my friend's new house. I, being the conscientious vegetarian that I am, went ahead and brought something (other than chips and potato salad) that I knew I would be able to eat. The lucky winner = hummus. I have brought hummus to many places, and am always shocked by how impressed people are. I mean, seriously, it's a half dozen ingredients thrown into a food processor. In answer to many a request, I am now putting the recipe up here.

Basic Hummus (large batch)

Ingredients:

• 2 cans chick peas (drained, liquid reserved)
• 4 heaping Tablespoons of Tahini (I prefer the brand Beirut)
• 6 cloves (or to taste) of crushed or finely chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin (optional)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• Sprinkle of Paprika (optional)
  

Directions:

• Combine chick peas, tahini, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add reserved liquid as needed to achieve your desired consistency.
  
• Stir in the lemon juice.
• Spoon into a bowl, and top with a Sprinkle of Paprika and a drizzle of Olive Oil.
• Serve at room temperature.

Variations:
I have many different types of hummus that I make. These are a couple of my favorites. These ingredients should be blended with the chick peas, tahini and spices.

• Red Pepper Hummus: Add 1/2 cup fire roasted red pepper. If you would like a hotter hummus, add either an extra 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or a Tablespoon of crushed red pepper.
• Parsley - Add a cup of chopped parsley or cilantro, and 2 tablespoons of lime juice.
• Roasted Garlic: Instead of adding raw garlic, coat your cloves in olive oil, and roast in aluminum cones under your oven's broiler until browned.

Hummus is one of the most versatile spreads. You can put anything you want into it. I usually just put in what I happen to have in the refrigerator. You can be as creative as you want, or it's great plain. It doesn't matter.

And now kids, if you are EXTRA good, I'll post Hummus's beautiful sister, Baba Ganouj, and Hummus's lovely lady friend Tzatziki. We shall see!