I love hummus, that garlic-y, lemon-y Mediterranean standard that goes so well with raw veggies, feta cheese and pita bread. Lately, however, I've started thinking of hummus more as a method than a specific recipe. Beans pureed with garlic plus spices (or herbs) and a sour splash of citrus (or vinegar) are really the basic stepping stones for building a healthy, tasty hummus. If you're willing to experiment with the specifics, a whole new world opens up, from Southwest-influenced black beans/chipoltle/cilantro/lime hummus to the South Asian flavors of a lentil hummus jazzed with fresh gingeroot and garam masala.
I've decided that I need to collect my hummus experiments and expand. Between now and the end of the year, I will continue to play with the basic idea--spiced and pureed legumes--and share them here.
I'll begin with this one, which I put together this morning. It took about 15 minutes to make, from start to finish, including the time spent staring into the pantry, trying to decide whether or not to make a traditional hummus to share with my northside friends or to "play" with navy beans and the green onions I bought last week. I opted to use the green onions before they went bad.
Ingredients
2 cans (15 oz.) white beans (cannellini, great northern or navy beans), drained and rinsed
juice of 2 lemons (or 6 tablespoons lemon juice concentrate)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
6 scallions, white and green parts chopped (hold aside about 1/8 cup for garnish)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
4 tablespoons tahini (or smooth peanut butter, if you don't have tahini)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (fresh would have been better, but I didn't have any fresh)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (ditto)
salt & pepper to taste
Putting It All Together:
Toss everything (except the green onion garnish) in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish.
Serve with crackers, wedges of pita bread, pita chips, and/or raw veggies. Enjoy!
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