This hummus recipe is a great way to enjoy Lucini’s new infused extra virgin olive oils. It is also a great way to see (and taste) what a difference some simple substitutions make in recipes. Each hummus preparation presented here creates a very different final product and would make a great dish on its own. Making the hummus four ways is a great time saver – after the hummus ‘foundation’ is complete, the steps to create the four different flavors is quite simple and you will get four dishes from the effort needed for just one.
‘Hummus’ means ‘chickpea’ in Arabic and chickpeas are a main ingredient in all traditional hummuses. Tahini is a sesame butter made with sesame seeds, similar to the way peanut butter is made from peanuts. It has a pale tan, almost grey, color and often sparates in its container, so make sure to give it a good stir. You can get it at many grocery stores in the Mediterranean or Middle Eastern sections, at most international food stores. It has a lot of nutty bite to it, and makes good sauces when mixed with some lemon juice, garlic and water. It is essential to the flavor of hummus.
Because hummus is a homonym in Arabic (and Ancient Greek), it is difficult to assign a history to the food. Both Plato and Aristotle make mention of hummus, but it is unclear whether they are referring to the chickpea or the dish. They do discuss the health benefits of hummus. According to Dr. Andrew Weil: “Garbanzos are an excellent source of fiber, which can help to improve cholesterol ratios. Their high fiber content also slows digestion and helps prevent spikes (and subsequent dips) in blood sugar following meals.
Delicate Lemon Hummus
Ingredients:
1 can Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans, Ceci)
3 TB Tahini
2 TB Lemon Juice, fresh
1/2 tsp Salt
2 cloves Garlic (chopped)
1 TB Water
2 TB Lucini Premium Select Extra Virgin Olive Oil
for the Tuscan Basil Hummus:
1 tsp Tuscan Basil Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice (fresh)
1 TB Basil (chopped) for garnish
for the Delicate Lemon Hummus:
1 tsp Delicate Lemon Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Sweet Paprika
2 tsp Black pepper (fresh, ground)
1 TB Pine Nuts (finely chopped) for garnish
for the Fiery Chili Hummus:
1 tsp Fiery Chili Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice (fresh)
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds (roasted, ground)
1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika or Chili Powder (plus more for garnish)
for the Robust Garlic Hummus:
1 tsp Robust Garlic Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice (fresh)
1/4 tsp Sweet Paprika
1 tsp Garlic (fresh, chopped) for garnish
Preparation:
The first six ingredients are used to create a base used to start all four types of hummus. Taste a bit of each ingredient so you can get an idea of how they come together to make the final product. That will help you decide what you like more or less of. To start, drain the garbanzo beans and then pour into a food processor or blender. To this garbanzo paste, add the tahini, lemon juice, water, salt and garlic. Blend well and then add the olive oil, continuing to blend until all the ingredients are well distributed. Taste this hummus base for salt and tahini and adjust as necessary. More lemon and garlic will be added later. If the mixture is too thick, add more olive oil.
Once you have your base ready, split it up evenly into four separate bowls. Into the first (the Basil hummus), add the basil oil, lemon juice and ground cumin. Stir well and adjust to taste. Finish with the chopped basil and a drizzle of the basil oil before serving.
To the second bowl(the Lemon hummus), add the lemon oil, black pepper and sweet paprika. Stir well and adjust to taste. Finish with the pine nuts and a drizzle of the lemon oil before serving. If you are a serious lemon fanatic, sprinkle 1/4 tsp of finely grated lemon peel before serving as well.
In the third bowl (the Chili hummus), add the chili oil, lemon juice, smoked paprika or chili powder and ground cumin. Stir well and adjust to taste. Finish with a sprinkle of smoked paprika (use dried red pepper, chili power or cayenne if you are looking for more serious heat) and a drizzle of the chili oil before serving.
For the fourth bowl (the Garlic hummus), add the garlic oil, lemon juice and sweet paprika. Stir well and adjust to taste. Finish with the chopped garlic and a drizzle of the garlic oil before serving.
I add a sprig of parsley or basil to each bowl depending on what i have available at the time. Serve your four bowls of hummus with cut-up pita (I warm it up quickly in an oven), vegetables (carrot, celery, bell pepper, mushrooms, cauliflower, cucumbers), bread, crackers, etc.
Mio Cibo 