My homemade hummus is one of my signature dishes – everyone asks for it when I’m throwing a party, or bringing an appetizer to someone else’s party. But as delicious as it is, I was looking to add a little flair to the dish I brought to my friend Yosef’s Super Bowl party this year. Enter: the Hummus Variety Platter! Serve it with traditional hummus sides: pita bread, crackers, raw veggies …
2 15-oz cans chick peas
4 T tahini, divided
7 T lemon juice, divided (juice of 2 lemons, done on a squeezer)
zest from 2 lemons
2 – 3 T olive oil, divided
1 T chopped garlic, divided (3 or 4 cloves)
Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
3 oz roasted red pepper (about 1/2 of one medium pepper)
something spicy – jalapeno, chili sauce, siracha, etc
1-1/2 T minced onions
for Pesto Hummus
1 T parmesan cheese
2 T pesto sauce
For Carrot Hummus
1/3 c baby carrots, steamed til soft but not mushy
1 t coriander
For Lemon-Ginger Hummus
2 T ginger juice (or 1 t powdered ginger)
Beet Hummus
8 oz beets
1 T cumin
For Plain Hummus:
Put 1 can of chick peas, 1/2 T chopped garlic, 2 T olive oil and 3/4 t salt in the Cuisinart. Blend thoroughly, scraping down sides a couple times. Scoop out half the mixture and reserve in a bowl.
To the mixture in the Cuisinart, add 1 T tahini, 1/2 T lemon juice and 1 T water. Blend thoroughly and scoop into either a serving or storage dish.
For Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus:
Without rinsing your equipment (unless you like washing extra dishes!), put the reserved chick pea blend back in the Cuisinart bowl. Add the roasted red peppers, onions and your “something spicy,” to taste. I used 1 t of Thai chili-garlic sauce. You can also add some cilantro or parsley, or pepper to taste. Play with it – it’s only hummus! Scoop into either a serving or storage dish.
For Pesto Hummus:
Rinse your equipment, shake out the excess water and put in the bowl: 1 can chick peas, 1/2 T tahini, 2 T lemon juice and 1/2 t salt. Blend thoroughly, scraping down sides a couple times. Scoop out 2/3 of the mixture and put in the same bowl you used before for the same purpose.
To the mixture left in the Cuisinart, add your pesto sauce, parmesan and 1/2 T tahini. Blend thoroughly and scoop into either a serving or storage dish.
For Carrot-Coriander Hummus:
Rinse your equipment, shake out the excess water and put in the bowl: 1/2 of your reserved chick pea mixture, 1 clove of chopped garlic, the coriander, and your steamed carrots. Blend thoroughly and scoop into either a serving or storage dish.
For Lemon-Ginger Hummus:
Rinse your equipment, shake out the excess water and put in the bowl: the last of your reserved chick pea mixture, 1/2 T lemon, the lemon zest, a drizzle of olive oil and the ginger. Blend thoroughly and scoop into either a serving or storage dish.
For Beet-Cumin Hummus:
Rinse your equipment, shake out the excess water and put in the bowl: beets, 2 T tahini, 4 T lemon juice, cumin, a little bit of garlic (not more than 1 clove, or half a teaspoon!) and some salt and pepper to taste. Nope, no chick peas in this one! Blend thoroughly and scoop into either a serving or storage dish.