Hummus bi Tahini

Hummus is one of those grocery store items that is egregiously overpriced, enjoying a markup of 500 to 1000%. But it is ridiculously easy to make with a food processor or decent blender. And like many things, homemade always tastes better. It freezes well too, so even if this recipe makes too much for you (but really, who doesn’t want to eat three cups of hummus in one sitting?), it’s still worth making at home.

Serve hummus as a dip with pita bread (Arab style, not Greek), raw veg, or pretzels. Or use it as a spread in sandwiches and wraps.

1 can (540 mL/19 ounces) chickpeas*

4 tbsp tahini**

4 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)

2 to 4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 to 2 tbsp olive oil (do not use “light-tasting” olive oil)

couple pinches salt

pinch ground cayenne

Drain and reserve a bit of the liquid off the chickpeas, leaving enough to just cover the peas. Place the chickpeas, their liquid, and remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process to a smooth purée.

Taste and adjust the salt. Adjust the consistency as necessary with the reserved chickpea liquid (note: the hummus will firm up a bit after chilling). If you want the hummus to have a light “whipped” consistency, omit the extra liquid and process for a couple extra minutes.

Chill hummus for at least an hour. To serve as a dip, spread in a shallow dish, drizzle with olive oil and top with finely chopped parsley, plus any of the following:

Sprinkling of ground paprika, cumin, or cayenne

A few whole chickpeas, reserved from the can

Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, julienned

Artichoke hearts, julienned

Roasted red peppers, julienned

Black olives, sliced

Cucumber, diced

Green onions/scallions, sliced

Roasted garlic

Toasted pine nuts

*I swear by Unico chickpeas. So does everyone I know. The end.

**A description of tahini and where you can buy it can be found here.

Baba Ghanouj

This eggplant dip is a Middle Eastern classic; unlike some supermarket versions, you won’t find any mayonnaise here. Serve with pita bread (Arab style, not Greek) or raw veg for dipping.

1 very large or 2 medium eggplants

2 cloves garlic, puréed

⅓ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)

¼ – ⅓ cup tahini*

¼ tsp ground cumin (optional)

salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 425°F. Prick skin of eggplant on all sides, place on a pan pr sheet of foil (to catch drips) and roast, turning occasionally, for 30 – 60 minutes, until very tender. Allow eggplant to cool until safe to handle, peel off skin, rough chop, then set it in a colander to cool completely and drain any excess juices.

Add eggplant and remaining ingredients to food processor and process until very smooth. Taste and adjust salt as necessary. Can be served right away, or refrigerated for several hours to firm it up.

To serve, spread in a shallow dish, drizzle with olive oil and top with finely chopped parsley, plus any (or all, except the pomegranate) of the following:

Pine nuts, toasted

Tomatoes, seeded and diced

Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, julienned

Pomegranate seeds

*Tahini is ground sesame seed paste, very similar to natural peanut butter. A staple in many Middle Eastern dishes, it can be found in most supermarkets and bulk food stores, and has an indefinite shelf life. Like natural peanut butter, it separates over time and must be stirred to reincorporate the oil before using.