CHICKPEA PUREE

MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS

WHEN I THINK OF PUREED FOODS, I do not consider them baby food (although with three daughters, I’ve made a lot of that). Purees—like soups, braises, and sauces—are an easy way to achieve complex flavors; purees tap into the alchemy of cooking, the satisfaction of transforming one vegetable into another delicious thing, moving quickly from crunchy to supersmooth. So whether you use chickpea puree as a dip for fresh vegetables, or spoon it over a bowl of rice, or thin it out with some broth for a soup, this recipe is a reminder that purees are a great way to manage your kitchen.

1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water, drained, and rinsed

½ carrot, finely chopped

½ stalk celery, finely chopped

½ small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons tahini

2 lemons

Combine the chickpeas, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic in a medium saucepan. Pour in enough water to cover by 2 to 3 inches and simmer until the chickpeas are just tender, about an hour. Throw in a big pinch of salt and let the chickpeas sit for about 30 minutes to absorb the flavor of the liquid and finish cooking. Drain, saving 2 cups of the liquid. At this point, you can serve the chickpeas tossed with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, or toss them in a salad, a stew, or a soup.

Put the chickpeas in a food processor or blender, saving a handful for topping. Add the oil, tahini, juice of 1 lemon, 1½ cups of the reserved cooking liquid, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth. The puree should be quite thin, with good acidity, so add more cooking liquid and lemon juice if needed. Serve topped with the whole chickpeas.