Switching to a more traditional implementation of chick peas, here is a great, silky, creamy rendition of Ultra-Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. A little lemony, a little garlicky, very peppery (not in a hot way, in a flavorful way). I’d eat this slathered on anything, but it is particularly good with the Persian Cukes. And it’s colorful on a cloudy Spring day. I may be snacking all afternoon. (PS: the garnish on the hummus are little marinated peppers called Peruvian Pearls. They are little bursts of flavor. nom nom nom)
Ingredients
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup jarred roasted red pepper, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 cup lemon juice, plus extra for seasoning
1 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin, plus extra for garnish
1/2 cup tahini, stirred well
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
For serving: crudités and pita bread
Directions
Combine chickpeas, baking soda, and 6 cups water in medium saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chickpea skins begin to float to surface and chickpeas are creamy and very soft, 20 to 25 minutes.
While chickpeas cook, mince garlic using garlic press or rasp-style grater. Measure out 1 tablespoon and set aside; discard remaining garlic. Whisk lemon juice, salt, and reserved garlic together in small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes. Strain garlic-lemon mixture through fine-mesh strainer set over bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids.
Drain chickpeas in colander and return to saucepan. Fill saucepan with cold water and gently swish chickpeas with your fingers to release skins. Pour off most of water into colander to collect skins, leaving chickpeas behind in saucepan. Repeat filling, swishing, and draining 3 or 4 times until most skins have been removed (this should yield about 3/4 cup skins); discard skins. Transfer chickpeas to colander to drain.
Set aside 2 tablespoons whole chickpeas for garnish. Process garlic-lemon mixture, roasted red peppers, 2 tablespoons water, cumin, and remaining chickpeas in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add tahini and oil and process until hummus is smooth, creamy, and light, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Hummus should have pour-able consistency similar to yogurt. If too thick, loosen with water, adding 1 teaspoon at a time. Season with salt and extra lemon juice to taste.
Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle with parsley, reserved chickpeas, and extra cumin. Drizzle with extra oil and serve. Hummus can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 5 days. Let sit, covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
