I think people assume that making hummus is a bit of a chore and it’s one of those things that you should just buy, but the truth is that it is so easy to make and it comes together in just a few minutes. I love that this version is both delicious right away and gets even better the longer it sits—so you can make it ahead or whip it up in the moment and either way have great results. Serve it with pita chips or fresh vegetables.
| PREP: 10 minutes | COOK: none | COOL: none |
Two 15-ounce cans Great Northern beans, rinsed well and drained
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
2 tablespoons roasted garlic (see Note)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup chopped roasted red peppers, for garnish
2 tablespoons parsley leaves, for garnish
Bean chips, potato chips, or fresh vegetables, for serving
1. In a food processor, pulse the beans, half of the pine nuts, the lemon juice, roasted garlic, garlic salt, and salt until blended. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil and process until smooth. Taste and add more lemon juice if desired.
2. Pour the hummus into a small serving bowl. You can serve it at once or cover and chill before serving. Garnish with the roasted red peppers, the remaining pine nuts, and the parsley leaves. Serve with bean chips, potato chips, or fresh vegetables.
3. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Makes about 3 cups; 4 to 6 servings
NOTE: Follow the method for roasting garlic in Roasted Elephant Garlic Bread to roast 2 whole heads of garlic. Once they are cool enough to handle, press the garlic out of their skins and into a small dish. Use a fork to mash the garlic into a paste. Store any extra in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
PREPARING VEGETABLES FOR A CRUDITÉ PLATTER
Fresh vegetables are a beautiful and delicious accompaniment to all kinds of dips. Sliced bell peppers (red, yellow, and orange), snow peas, celery sticks, carrot sticks, cucumber slices, grape tomatoes, and sliced or whole baby radishes are great served raw.
Firmer vegetables, such as asparagus, snap peas, and broccoli and cauliflower florets, should be blanched and shocked in ice water before serving. You don’t want to completely cook these, as they should be almost as crisp as when raw. You just want to brighten their color and soften them very slightly to make them easier to enjoy.
To blanch vegetables, first cut them all to approximately the same size. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water and set it aside. Place the vegetable in the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on the thickness of the vegetable, until it is very slightly softened and its color is very bright. If blanching asparagus, add the stalks first and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on thickness, and then add the tips and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Use a spider or slotted spoon to immediately transfer the vegetables to the ice water. Let stand until completely cool. Drain the vegetables thoroughly and dry them with a clean kitchen towel before serving.