Recipe: Hummus for Jon UK

Hi Jon:-) The following recipe for Hummus is from the cookbook The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean by Paula Wolfert. "Of course, the most famous tahini dip of all is hummus, a dish that has begun to lose its charm, for it has turned into a mediocre deli item. A good plate of hummus is never presented undressed. It should be spread on a plate, then smoothed down from the middle outward with the back of a spoon to create a wide well in the center. A sprinkle of ground cumin and a little drizzle of olive oil and lemon is then added. An exceptionally pretty presentation is achieved by heating some hot paprika in olive oil until the oil turns red; strain the oil, then drizzle it over half the hummus while sprinkling the other half with a few dots here and there, finally finishing with a thin line around the dish." Jon, a recipe for Humus with Meat (lamb) Sauce is also included on the next page of this book. Let me know if you would like that recipe as well and I will post it for you.

Hummus Makes 2 1/2 cups

1 c. dried chickpeas
1 small onion, peeled
1/4 c, tahini
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed with 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice or more to taste
1 to 2 Tbl. olive oil
Ground cumin, hot paprika, or pomrgranate seeds for garnish

Soak the chickpeas overnight in water to cover. Drain; rinse and cook with the onion in water to cover until the chickpeas are very soft. Drain, reserving 1/2 c. cooking liquor for the dip; save the rest for soup. Set aside 1/4 c. chickpeas for the garnish. discard the onion.

Stir up the tahini in it's jar with the oil until well blended. Place tahini in blender jar or the work bowl of a food processor and blend the tahini, garlic, and lemon juice until the mixture "whitens." With the machine running, add the reserved cooking liquor. Add 1 3/4 c. chickpeas and process until well blended. Correct the seasoning with salt and lemon juice. Allow dip to mellow at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. To serve as a dip, spread on a shallow serving dish. Use the back of a spoon tp make a well in the center, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with cumin, hot paprika, or pomegranate seeds.

Note: For a smoother and more digestable dip, push it through the fine blade of a food mill and discard the skins of the chickpeas.