Hummus

I used to be a very picky eater.  Unfortunately that meant my stomach lead a very sheltered life until I was more mature and willing to try new things.  Back then, hummus would have been something that scared me off.  But now I feel like it is much more common for people to eat in America.

We were recently over at a friend's house and my wife was teasing the host relentlessly for making a hummus from a box.  Basically you just add water & olive oil.  I think we hold him to higher standards, though, because he's from Lebanon.  But as The Mrs will tell anyone willing to listen, hummus isn't hard to make.

Many of us domesticated sorts are in possession of a food processor.  If you are among the kitchen gadget crowd, then this dish will be a piece of cake for you.  Here is all you'll need:

• 19 oz can of garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas
• 1 garlic clove
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Tahini paste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

Puree this all up in your fancy-schmancy food processor until it's smooth & creamy.  And there you go!  Now you're cultured. ;-)

You can jazz this up with some roasted red pepper, or top it with salsa, or some olive tapenade.  Hummus goes great with chips (pictured here with blue corn tortilla chips), naan bread, pretzels, carrots, etc.  If you're a fan of dips, you should give this a try.  It is creamy and rich, and the tahini gives it a little something else. It's hard to put my finger on the taste ... but it's good.