simply hummus

simply hummus

I have wanted to make hummus for quite some time, but somehow I never got around to it. It wasn’t until this past Saturday when I was browsing recipes to find ways to highlight the wonderful feta cheese I bought at the Austin Farmer’s Market that I decided this weekend would be the weekend I finally made hummus. I know it sounds like a small feat, but as a “foodie,” you really can get excited about the smallest, simplest things. Being a foodie is like the adult version of the discarded card board box that becomes a fort after two windows are cut for doors, and two for windows, and provides for hours upon hours of play. I get excited about a new ingredient, the first strawberries of spring, the beautiful yellow yolks of happy chickens, a new restaurant, a new technique, a new combination of flavors, a new book, old recipes revisited—the possibilities and joy are endless. Like the cardboard box, the only limitation is your imagination.

Now back to hummus. I stumbled across a recipe for feta hummus sandwiches and that combination sounded fresh, easy, and right up my alley. With only 6 ingredients, making the hummus could not have been easier. And the result? Was delicious. With flavor from the garlic and tahini, creaminess from the olive oil, spice from the jalapeño, and a grainy texture from the chickpeas, this hummus is not wanting. And if it was? It is completely customizable. For my next batch I was thinking of adding some chipotle pepper …  Oh, and the hummus-feta combination? You must try it.

Simply Hummus
Yields about 2 cups.

1 15-ounce can organic garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
1 garlic clove, peeled
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeño chile

Finely chop garbanzo beans and garlic in processor using the on/off buttons. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice and remaining ingredients; process to a coarse puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper and more lemon juice, if you like.

Transfer to an airtight container and chill if you are not using right away.