Hummus, Two Ways

When I mentioned to my daughter that I’m working on a hummus recipe for Family Table, she said “Who’s going to bother making hummus if they can buy it? Besides, that’s the one dip that I always have left over after my Shabbos guests leave.” Well, Shaindy, if you would venture to try either of these delicious homemade versions, I think you’ll have your answer. And I don’t believe there would be any leftovers either. At least there weren’t any at our table!

Yield: Each hummus recipe base will yield roughly a 2-lb (1-kg) container of hummus. Either the mushroom topping recipe or roasted eggplant recipe amounts will work for one recipe of hummus base.

Hummus Base

• ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (don’t substitute with store bought)
• ½ cup tahini (not prepared techina; I used Achva brand)
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• salt, to taste
• 2 15-oz (125-g) cans chickpeas
• 3–4 Tbsp water

Place lemon juice and tahini into the bowl of a food processor. (Make sure to stir the tahini  very well before measuring, as the contents may have settled and separated.) Process for 30 seconds, scrape down bowl, and process for an additional 30 seconds until well blended.

Add the next four ingredients, mixing well until combined. Place chickpeas in a colander, drain, and rinse well. Add to food processor bowl, along with the water, and process until you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency. You may want to add some more water, depending on how thick or thin you like your hummus.