hummus with spice & parsley

How hummus fought its way into the 21st century with such gusto is beyond me – it’s roots only go back, I dunno, several thousand years, like how about 7! And if you don’t believe me, read on – the history of hummus – a riveting read for those of us who follow these things and a must read for those who are slightly confused! I was never served hummus as an afternoon snack, let alone the starter on Greek night, so what’s up with the tiara that has apparently landed on hummus, crowning it king of all dips? Well, it couldn’t be it’s good looks so it must be it’s brains as in the fact that chickpeas (the main ingredient here) are one of the healthiest foods us humans can learn to love, and what’s not to love? Perhaps the fact that they’ve sustained entire cultures for centuries might sway you – that sure is a heckuva lot of sustaining. If it weren’t for the fact that we have a few other choices at the grocery store, chickpeas in its many forms, including hummus, would, should & could still be sustaining us all.

Think of hummus as “start” on a gameboard – start with chick peas and lose your mind from there. Once you master the basic recipe – go ahead and flex your hummus muscles and add whatever turns you on. The number of variations are right up there with the number of years its been around. I’ve led you down the garden path below, so get grinding the garbanzos – your life will never be the same again. Come to think of it, another reason why the staying power of hummus is on par with water – it gets along with practically everything – now don’t you wish you could say that about your in-laws, your neighbours and a friend or 2? So forge a life-long love affair with chick peas and hummus won’t be far behind. And by the way, the hummus that comes out of your food processor will leave the store-bought variety in the dip hall of shame.

click here to jump down to the hummus with spice & parsley recipe

1. Pile all the ingredients into the bowl of your food processor.

2. Put on the lid and start whizzing. Stop to scrape down the sides before whizzing some more.

3. Add a shot of hot sauce – the amount is totally up to you.

4. Keep whizzing until you reach the consistency you like.

5. Some like it chunky, plumpy and others don’t – so make it how you like it.

6. Pile it in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of cayenne or paprika.

7. Dig in – and hurry ’cause it’ll be gone before you finish the dishes.

1. Place the following into the bowl of your food processor:

2 cans chickpeas beans, drained & rinsed
1 cup (big handful) Italian parsley
2-3 garlic cloves
1/3-1/2 cup tahini
1/2-1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2+tsp. salt, taste & adjust
a healthy crack of black pepper
3 tbsps. olive oil
1 tbsp. sesame oil
3 tbsps. fresh lemon juice
hot sauce, to taste

2. Process until mixture is a smooth purée.

water – to adjust the consistency, more for thinner, less for thicker

3. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Serve, drizzled with a little olive oil and sprinkle with a touch of cayenne, cumin or paprika.

4. Simply serve with pita chips, tortilla chips, cauliflower, celery, carrot sticks, or strips of red bell pepper. Or head below for the the never-ending ways to consume hummus. And to switch it up, swap out one can of chick peas for any other canned bean and proceed with the recipe.

get creative

don’t purée until smooth for a chunkier dip
add finely chopped/shredded additions like: kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, red chilis or jalapeño peppers, sundried tomatoes, red onion, sliced scallions, roasted garlic, feta or goat cheese
add a dollop or 2 of in an omelet, sprinkle with mozzarella and fold over
use hummus as a spread on pizza before piling on the toppings
fill hollowed out cherry or roma tomatoes with hummus for a quick veggie side dish or appetizer
use it in place of mayo on burgers, brats and sandwiches
spread it in a hot grilled sandwich or a wrap for a burst of oozing yumminess
add as much chicken/vegetable stock to make a thick & creamy soup
work a spoonful into a hot steamy baked potato followed by a drizzle of olive oil
serve it as a condiment alongside grilled or roasted meat or fish
whisk it into a simple vinaigrette for a rich sauce to serve over roasted or stir-fried vegetables
mix equal parts hummus and plain yogurt to serve as a dip or sauce with anything
blend with chopped egg, or tuna for a new take on a sandwich filling
spread on toast or bagels instead of the higher fat alternatives
thin slightly with stock and toss with pasta
use a spoonful of hummus to thicken soups instead of cream or flour
add it to meatloaf as a protein-packed binder

hummus with spice & parsley

hummus with spice & parsley

get creative

hummus heaven