Hummus

Hummus is a simple Mediterranean dish that can be eaten by itself with flat bread or as a side dish or even a topping to any number of dishes. It is great for Lent, but goes will will grilled meat and fish, too.

2 cans cooked chick peas / garbanzo beans
3 cloves garlic
Juice of one lemon - about 4-5 Tbspe
3 Tbsp tahini (sesame paste)
½ to 1 tsp cumin
½ tsp paprika
½ c olive oil
pinch of salt
water as needed

Garnish:
fresh parsley
cucumbers
black olives
flat bread

Preparation:

Super heroes cook their own chick peas and if you are determined, this can be done but for super fast preparation, canned chick peas / garbanzo beans (yes they are the same) are best. A friend of mine discovered that if you put the canned garbanzo beans in the refrigerator overnight, the cold beans produce a creamier texture when blended. I don't know how this works, but its true.

Drain and rinse the goopy brine from the chick peas and put them in the food processor along with the garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. Some are tempted to use the liquid from the cans in the hummus, but this stuff is full of nitrates and just ruins the taste of the hummus. Use the pulse mode to process at first as the mixture is dry and may need to be tamped down in between pulses at first. You may need to add water a Tablespoon at a time to get the mixture moist enough to blend freely. When the mixture is smooth enough to blend continuously, add tahini, cumin, paprika and a pinch of salt. If too thick, add more water. Taste it to see if it needs a little more lemon or tahini.

Once the hummus is blended, it can be stored in a container until ready for use. Serve hummus in a shallow bowl or plate drizzled with olive oil and garnish with lemon slices, minced parsley and a pinch of paprika for color. Serve chilled, with warm pita bread and/or fresh vegetables.