Garlicky Hummus (plus Cooking Dried Chickpeas)

From http://inthekitchenwithkath.com

(Inspired by Mark Bittman, How to Cook Everything)

Serves 6 – 8

2 cups cooked (or canned) chickpeas

½ cup tahini (I like Joyva brand best)

¼ cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half (or use roasted garlic, see introduction)

Juice of 2 – 3 lemons

2 tablespoons cumin

¾ teaspoon salt (the amount I used with the beans I cooked. Canned beans may need less.)

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

To garnish:

Additional olive oil

Paprika

Fresh parsley, minced

Put everything in a food processor and blend until it’s all smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. If it’s thicker than you like it, add a bit more lemon juice or water. I ended up adding about ¼ cup of water.

To fancy it up, put the hummus in a bowl, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and sprinkle with the paprika and parsley.

Cooking Dried Chickpeas

(Makes almost 3 cups. Use 2 for the hummus, and use the leftovers in salads, or whatever.)

Put 1 cup chickpeas in a large pot. Cover with water so there is at least 2 inches of water over the chickpeas. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let them sit, covered, for 1 hour.

Drain the beans and cover with plenty of water again. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Add 1½ teaspoons salt and simmer until tender, 10–15 minutes more.

Drain the chickpeas. You can save the broth. (It freezes well.) Chickpea broth can be used instead of vegetable broth to make soups. You can also use a bit of the bean broth to thin the hummus if needed.