For my cyberfriends who actually read (and try some of) these recipes, my knives were recently sharpened at Chelsea Market by Samurai Sharpening and I'm excited about sharing more and wringing my hands less.
This is an updated and GREATLY IMPROVED recipe. And an added perc is that it's easier than the original. If you've made the original recipe, try it this way. You'll hate me for pushing the "publish" button the first time.
If you haven't unsubscribed or flagged Blue Heron Kitchen as spam, I hope this one will absolve me. (IMHO, this one is worth checking the expiration date on your Beano.) I humbly offer:
Hummus Bi Tahini the Way it Haute to Bi
Once you've soaked and cooked beans, you'll hate canned beans and save them for the next food drive. Your beans won't be mushy, and the liquid won't look like it's a potential breeding ground for West Nile Virus.
My friend, Bernadette, whose brainchild is the Long Beach, NY's Farmer's Market, is an expert about things green and healthful She advised me to cook beans in Kombu (seaweed).
You can buy Kombu at your health food store or at better markets, like Fairway or Whole Foods. You can purchase Kombu online. It has all kinds of health benefits, none of which I really know about. I use it because it's supposed to minimize the discomfort and shame of gas.
If you can, buy organic beans. Soak the beans overnight, drain them and then throw in a five inch strip of Kombu and cook them according to the directions on the bag. When the beans are cooked, the Kombu will be all slimy and viscous. Some people actually keep it, eat it, or use it for soup. Frankly, I think it's unappetizing and that it tastes like rubber, so I
I like my hummus rough. This recipe is for a more 'toothsome' product. If you like yours creamy, just use the steel blade of your food processor and whip the daylights out of it. See if I care.
Without a food processor, you'll need a food mill
. It's a great kitchen tool that you'll use when you make tomato or applesauce. It separates skin from the pulp, and your sauces won't come out like baby food. You can also make great baby food with a food mill. I have an ancient one made in France by Mouli that one day my kids will bat it out over. Buy organic ingredients whenever possible. They are better for several reasons. A primary one is because they taste better. (You may disagree, but like it or not, when your taste buds have grown accustomed to ingredients with numbers attached to their name, mother nature is on vacation and your taste buds have been tampered with.)
Once you've soaked and cooked the chick peas, this is quick and easy. When it's finished, so that the flavors can meld, let it sit in the fridge overnight (or at least several hours). It can be made oil free (there is, however, oil and fat in the tahini). You can also opt to add some oil upon serving.
Some suggestions: drizzle olive oil, flavored or 'hot oils' before serving, sprinkle with Hungarian sweet or Spanish smoked paprika, squirt on or mix in some Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce,
available at any Asian grocery store or on Amazon
.Add Harissa, grate in some fresh horseradish, or roasted and puréed red pepper, chopped olives, toasted pignoli nuts, oregano, toasted and ground cumin, chopped parsley, chopped cilantro, a swirl of pesto base, or popcorn (checking if you were paying attention).
Add your own serving suggestion in the "comment" suggestion!
What's great about this is that you're in the saddle. So, hitch up your camel, start soaking your beans and have a gas!
Hummus bi Tahini
"Master Recipe"
Blue Heron Kitchen
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chick peas, liquid discarded (cook your own - it's worth it)
1 small clove fresh garlic chopped, or passed through a garlic press
(more to taste if you're a garlic freak)
4 Tbsp. tahini (more or less to taste)
1-2 Tbsp. excellent quality extra-virgin olive oil (you can omit this, but the flavor will
be less 'rounded')
Juice from 3 large lemons (more to taste if you're a lemon head)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste*
Procedure:
Using the grater disc of your food processor, pass the chick peas and garlic down and transfer to a medium sized mixing bowl. Be careful to scrape everything into the bowl.
Add remaining ingredients (except salt and pepper) to the bowl, and using a potato masher, mash to desired consistency, adjusting quantities to taste.
Add salt and pepper, to taste (*Kitchen Truc: If you're salt-restricted, the addition of lemon juice is an excellent alternative.)
Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
Serve with fresh pita, pita chips (brush pita with olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt and herbs, toast and cut into wedges), raw vegetables, on a sandwich with lettuce and tomato and other vegetables, or add herbs, olive oil and lemon juice and make a salad dressing.
Yield: 1 1/2 pints
peace,
jane
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