Best Ever Hummus
Hummus is one of Sally's favourite ingredients on her tasting platters in her wine bar at Château George 7. Variations abound and this recipe includes some tips gleaned from experts over the years to make the creamiest and lightest you will ever taste. Promise !
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Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 20 mins (if using canned chickpeas) or1hr-1hr15mins (if dried)
Serves: 6 (as nibbles)
Ingredients
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1 x 400g can chick peas, drained
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1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (UK) baking soda (USA)
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1 tbsp olive oil
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1large tbsp tahini (be generous!)
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1/2-1 tsp ground cumin
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2-4 tbsp ice cold water (from fridge is great)
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1 medium clove garlic, roughly chopped or crushed
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Juice of 1/2 lemon (more to taste)
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Salt and pepper
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Garnish: drizzle of olive, few whole chick peas, sprinkle of cumin
Method
Yes all the ingredients will be whizzed up together but actually there are a few steps to go through to ensure it will be fabulous:
- Put the chickpeas in a saucepan of cold water (reserve a couple for decoration at the end), add a large teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and cook for 20 mins. Ensure the chickpeas are well covered by the water. This will soften them so they can become creamy but also separate the skins off. Do not let them boil for much longer or they can go too mushy and change colour.
- Put the minced garlic in the lemon juice, add 1/2 tsp salt and let it sit for at least 10-15 mins or ideally longer (ie while chickpeas are cooking).
- Once cooked, drain and rinse the chickpeas in cold water to ensure all the bicarb has been washed away.
- Add the tahini to the minced garlic and lemon mixture, and then the cumin and chickpeas.
- Blend in a processor or I use a stick blender adding ice cold water a drizzle at a time to get the desired consistency. Many say use only water but I think that a dessertspoon of olive oil at this point is lovely. If using a processor, keep scraping down the sides to ensure all blended together.
- Taste and adjust seasoning - I almost always add more salt and possibly lemon to taste
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NOTE: If you are making variations as well, then separate a portion of the classic recipe before adding all the water in case what you are adding might make it sloppier eg if adding red peppers or sun dried tomatoes from a jar that might have some juiciness.
Wine
Hummus is so versatile, the perfect aperitif but what you serve it with makes all the difference. Crudities? Then lets choose a bright white wine where the citrusy notes will echo the lemon juice.
Serving a fresh red wine for apéro? Then toasted sour dough or pitta bread will go better, especially if you've done a variation with some red peppers or tomatoes. Hummus probably won't be the only thing you serving up so what other flavours are there on the platter? These will influence your choice.
Rosé doesn't only have to be for summer, see if you can find a Bordeaux clairet, the darker more flavorful Bordeaux speciality. It is such a versatile wine and will suit just about any palate and many delicious nibbles.