My Favorite Hummus

My Favorite Hummus. Since I bought my Vitamix, I have been making super smooth dips in it. Hummus is one of those dips that’s far smoother when made in the Vitamix. You don’t even need to use peeled chickpeas with the Vitamix as it will pulverize most everything. Although we do like a lot of favorite commercially made hummus dips…I still prefer to make my favorite hummus instead.

It’s actually sort of comical, that as I was pulling together this posting, my 14-cup Cuisinart food processor broke while I was making chicken liver pate for Christmas Day dinner. The plastic top pieces that snap together have come apart. They will no longer close in the safety mechanism so the machine won’t start. To purchase the bowl assembly is about half the cost of just buying a new Cuisinart. I was a bit annoyed about the breakage until I realized I bought this food processor in 2003. This Cuisinart was also involved in a recall in 2016 for its metal blade’s coming apart. Anyway…I finally got the new blade after about 8 months of waiting. So, good thing I still have a Vitamix! And I am also looking at other brands’ food processors. I bought a small Cuisinart chopper/shredder a few years ago that quit working after about a year due to an overheating motor and a split blade assembly. It seems that the Cuisinart quality has declined over the years.

So back to this hummus recipe. As you already know, I make a mean and pretty Green Pea Hummus. I also make a garlicky white bean dip from cannellini beans. My Favorite Hummus recipe differs in that it uses canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and some tahini and cumin.

Just put garbanzo beans, lemon juice, white balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic cloves, tahini, cumin, and salt into a Vitamix or food processor.

Process until smooth. The SECRET to SUPER SMOOTH HUMMUS is how long it’s processed. I process mine for at least FIVE MINUTES! Then, I will drizzle in some extra virgin olive oil and process some more for a super creamy hummus.

Sprinkle with paprika and drizzle on some more olive oil for serving. Offer with cut vegetables and crispy pita chips. Carrot and cucumber sticks, scallions, cherry tomatoes, sliced bell pepper, mushroom caps, and zucchini slices are all good vegetable options as dippers for my favorite hummus.

Hummus can be an appetizer or part of your main course. You can spread it on flatbread or a tortilla, add some other fillings, and wrap it up. You can dip pretzels or veggie chips into it. You can even thin this hummus with additional vinegar, lemon juice, and then add some water, stir it to your desired consistency, and drizzle it over a salad. My Favorite Hummus is also one of my husband’s favorite lunches: Hummus and carrot sticks for dipping.

This is my last posting for 2017! I can’t believe it’s been FIVE YEARS since I started this blog and recipe repository in 2012. Thank you for following me here and on Facebook and Twitter. Best wishes to all of you in 2018 — and beyond.

Enjoy!!

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From the kitchen of A Food Lover’s Delight….

My Favorite Hummus

Ingredients:

6 c canned chickpeas (about four 15 oz. cans total), three cans drained, one with its liquid
Juice from two lemons (about 1/4 cup)
1 t white balsamic vinegar
1 T honey
3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 T tahini
2 t powdered cumin
2 t salt
2 T extra virgin olive oil

Dash of paprika and drizzle of olive oil, to garnish

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients except the olive oil in an 8-cup Vitamix blender or a food processor. (You can halve the recipe if you have a smaller blender/processor.)
2. Process until very smooth, at least five minutes, scraping the sides down from time to time.
3. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the hummus with the blender or food processor running until the oil is incorporated.
4. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 3 days. Garnish with paprika and chopped parsley before serving.

Makes about 6 cups of hummus. Offer with warmed pita bread, pita chips, or sliced baguette. Cut vegetables and fruits go well with hummus. This hummus freezes well if used within 3 months.

Variations: For a vegan version of this dish, substitute agave or maple syrup for the honey. For a heart-healthy version, omit the honey, tahini and olive oil. To use as a salad dressing, thin by stirring in some additional lemon juice and vinegar and add some water for your preferred consistency.

For a super smooth hummus, put the drained and rinsed canned chickpeas into a pot. Cover the chickpeas with water to about one inch above the chickpea level in the pot. Bring the chickpeas to a boil. Then reduce heat and let them simmer until the skins start to separate from the chickpeas. Scoop out the skins and discard. Drain the chickpeas and put them in your Vitamix or food processor and continue with the recipe.

Order yourself a Vitamix like mine from Amazon.com:

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