Tahini

A few years ago, he and I had a terrible fight….

What can I say?

He broke my heart — the day he stopped carrying their Cilantro & Jalapeño Hummus. Herby, a bit spicy, rich and creamy. I L-O-V-E-D it and would slather it over just about everything.

Then one day when I came in to grab a tub, it was gone. Sure, T.J. offered a three layered hummus that claimed it had my beloved Cilantro & Jalapeño Hummus inside. But once you opened the container, it barely had a dollop of the green goodness in it.

What’s a girl to do?

It was then time to take matters into my own hands and make my own version so that I could have my fill of whenever I wanted.

I threw a little bit of this and A LOT of that into the food processor and within a couple of minutes, I had something amazing that I dare say, love even more than the original.

True story.

Just like the original, it’s delicious over breads, to dip all kinds of goodies in, and to use as a sauce.

So T.J., I forgive you for cutting off my hummus supply and still love you for everything else you fill my kitchen with. And let’s face it, who cannot adore that you have your staff wearing Aloha gear? 🙂

Side note: T.J. is now carrying a version of Cilantro & Jalapeño Hummus but trust me when I say this–it’s not the same. I don’t know how they altered the recipe but it’s missing some of the old KA-POW the old hummus did.

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Cilantro & Jalapeño Hummus

Ingredients:

1- 2 bunches fresh cilantro, approximately 4-5 loosely packed cups (more to garnish)
1-2 jalapeño peppers, roughly chopped (depending on your heat preference)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (more to garnish)
1/3 cup tahini
4 garlic cloves
1 can garbanzo beans (15 ounces), drained with juices reserved
2-4 tablespoons juices from the garbanzo beans
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika (more to garnish)

Add the cilantro, jalapeñopeppers, lemon juice, olive oil and tahini into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the items have broken down.

Add in the garlic cloves, garbanzo beans, 2 tablespoons of the reserved garbanzo beans juices, kosher salt, black pepper, and paprika. Blend until the hummus is smooth but still thick. If needed, add in the remaining garbanzo bean juices until you reach the desired consistency. Taste and add additional kosher salt if needed.

Plate the hummus and garnish with a drizzle of additional olive oil, sprinkle of paprika, and chopped cilantro. Serve as a spread or as a dip.

I love Hummus. So tasty, so many “flavors” it can come in, and so versatile in how it can be served. Great as an appetizer with pita chips, bread, and veggies—it’s also delicious as a spread in sandwiches for a scrumptious vegetarian option. And let’s be honest, any way we can squeeze in extra veggies is a good thing.

And here’s a secret….it’s so easy to make. How easy? So easy that I often kick myself when I buy prepared tubs from my local grocers.

The following recipe is my standard “go-to” take on Hummus. However, I often use it as a base for my “specialized hummus flavors”. I also used to use fresh garlic in my hummus but have found that by using roasted garlic, you’ll still get great flavor that’s slightly more mellow. But hey, if you’re a fresh garlic kind of person, be my guest. 🙂 However, I would try using only 2-3 garlic cloves as the flavors will be much more intense.

If you’re looking for a kicked-up hummus, try the following recipe but throw in some sundried tomatoes or fresh cilantro and jalapeno. DELISH!

Until next time Friends, Cheers!

**photo updated on 4/1/2013**

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Roasted Garlic Hummus

Ingredients:

15 Ounces of canned Garbanzo, drained with juices reserved
2-4 Tablespoons Liquid from Garbanzos
1/3 Cup Tahini
¾ Cup Fresh Italian Parsley
4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Roasted Garlic, minced finely
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
½ Teaspoon White Pepper
¼ Teaspoon Paprika

In a food processor, pulse the parsley, lemon juice, olive oil and tahini. Add garlic, beans, 2 tablespoons of garbanzo liquid, salt, pepper, and paprika. Blend until smooth but still thick. Add remaining garbanzo liquid, if needed, to reach desired consistency. Adjust seasonings as needed.

If serving as an appetizer, garnish with a drizzle of additional olive oil, paprika, and chopped parsley.