Hummus & Crostini
I had a hankerin' for some hummus. So, why not blog about it? It's a lot of fun to make and it's better than most kinds you'll find in a can. My good friend is an advocate for hummus and he put my recipe up amongst some of the best he's ever had. Coming from him, it means a lot. Don't have to be #1 to feel like a winner.
I had a hankerin' for some hummus. So, why not blog about it? It's a lot of fun to make and it's better than most kinds you'll find in a can. My good friend is an advocate for hummus and he put my recipe up amongst some of the best he's ever had. Coming from him, it means a lot. Don't have to be #1 to feel like a winner.
- Carbohydrate 73.3241344924631 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 10.2070363482494 g
- Fiber 10.8648378287503 g
- Protein 16.7600420918567 g
- Saturated Fat 1.5018126001545 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (290g)
- Sodium 808.615907725518 mg
- Sugar 62.4592966637128 g
- Trans Fat 0.913309440521249 g
- Calories 438 calories
Step-by-step
- Roast the bell peppers exactly like in the Stuffed Chicken w/ Roasted Red Peppers and Goat Cheese blog. [http://ediblemenu.blogspot.com/2009/10/stuffed-chicken-w-roasted-red-peppers.html] While the peppers are cooling in a plastic-wrapped bowl, saute your onions and garlic on low heat in a touch of butter until they begin to smell sweet. There should be no color on the onions or they begin to taste savory.
- In a bowl, combine the chickpeas, onions, garlic, touch of oil, cumin, salt, touch of cayenne and lemon juice. When the peppers are cool, skin them, seed them, and dice them up and add to the bowl.
- I like my hummus smooth, if you prefer it chunky then mix everything by hand. Since I like it smooth, I put everything in a food processor and blend on high speed. As everything is pureeing I slowly add the tahini. Tahini really adds depth to hummus. It's essentially a Sesame Seed pasted puree. At this point just adjust the seasonings as you see fit.
- Slice some french bread and brush with oil and freshly cracked pepper. Place in a 500(F) degree oven for 3-4 minutes, top with hummus, and garnish with parsley.
Tahini does the heaviest structural lifting in this dish, functioning as an emulsifier that bridges the gap between chickpea starch and oil to form a cohesive, glossy paste. Without enough sesame paste, the puree separates into a dense, chalky paste rather than a velvety spread. Processing the chickpeas while warm helps relax the starches, yielding a smoother result than cold beans ever could.
Achieving the Ideal Texture
Running the food processor on high speed while streaming in liquids incorporates micro-air bubbles, lightening the heavy chickpea mass. For the bread component, slicing the french bread evenly and baking at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 to 4 minutes creates a brittle, golden crust that resists sogginess when topped with the wet spread.
- If the mixture remains too thick, add ice-cold water one tablespoon at a time to loosen the emulsion without dulling the garlic flavor.
- Sweat the onions over low heat until translucent; any browning introduces bitter sulfur compounds that ruin the clean finish of the dip.
- Peel roasted red peppers completely after steaming them in a covered bowl to keep charred flecks out of the final green-hued puree.
