dip essentials: totally awesome hummus

How To Make dip essentials: totally awesome hummus

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  1

  PREP/PREPARE
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  2

  Gather Your Ingredients.
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  3

  Remove the zest from one of the lemons, and reserve.
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  4

  Squeeze the juice from the two lemons, and reserve.
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  5

  Working with Dried Chickpeas.
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  6

  Pick through the chickpeas and look for the occasional stone, then place them into a container and fill with water. Allow the chickpeas to soak overnight. The next morning drain and rinse the chickpeas, and place them into a pot of water, and allow them to simmer for about an hour, or until they are tender. Drain, and use for the hummus.
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  7

  Chef’s Note: If you want to save the process of soaking the chickpeas overnight, and then simmering them the next day, you can always purchase canned chickpeas. In my opinion the dried chickpeas are a better way to go.
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  8

  Add the chickpeas, baked garlic, and tahini to the bowl of a food processor fitted with an S-blade.
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  9

  Give the mixture several 1-second pulses until it begins to come together.
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  10

  Add the olive oil, and then pulse a few more times, until the olive oil incorporates into the mixture.
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  11

  Add the remainder of the ingredients (including the lemon zest, and lemon juice), with the exception of the hot water.
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  12

  Run the blender until the mixture begins to smooth out.
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  13

  With the blender running slowly add some of the hot water, until you reach the desired consistency.
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  14

  Chef’s Tip: I like to use the water that the chickpeas were simmered in… I think it gives the hummus a more authentic flavor.
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  15

  Chef’s Note: Do a final tasting to determine proper sampling (salt, lemon juice, etc.).
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  16

  Store in a tightly sealed container in the fridge, until ready for use.
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  17

  Chef’s Tip: Since chickpeas contain a lot of fiber, the hummus will set up while it is in the fridge, so the trick is to make it just a bit creamier than what you want.
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  18

  PLATE/PRESENT
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  19

  Garnish with some olive oil, and a few whole chickpeas, and then serve with crackers, pita chips, or whatever you wish. Enjoy.
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  20

  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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