Friday, January 25, 2013

Roasted Garlic Hummus + Tutorial to Make the Smoothest Hummus


I've seen Deb from Smitten Kitchen and a few others do a recipe using this method of shelling the thin, papery skins from chickpeas to make hummus even smoother. If you think I'm a little crazy to spend valuable time removing those little skins, that's all right. I didn't time the whole process because I spent some time figuring out which method was the fastest (see below), but I was able to rock and roll through two cans of chickpeas like it was nothing.

Rather than try to describe how to do this, I'll show you in pictures. First, either cook your dried beans or open your cans (I used canned because I couldn't find them dry). Rinse, then drain them and leave them in the colander set over a plate. Have another larger bowl to put the shelled beans in and a smaller one for the skins.

You can see these still have the skin on them which has started to split open. Most of them will be slightly split, which makes the skin easier to remove. Plus, they have a sandy-looking texture. Removing that will reveal the shiny bean underneath!


Pinch one between your fingers like so:


Applying slightly more pressure towards the ends of your fingers, imagine that you are trying to hold on to the outer layer, while pushing the bean down towards your palm. It's easier to understand while you're doing it. Trust me!


Then, the bean will fall into your palm and you can put it in your empty bowl.


See how shiny and reflective they are without their skins?


Now, they're ready for your super-smooth hummus!

And yes, I noticed a difference in texture, so I think the little extra time was worth it. Plus, it's a good time to do some deep breathing :)


Roasted Garlic Hummus
Makes 3 cups

1 head of garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for garlic and topping, if desired
2  15 ounce cans / scant 4 cups of cooked chickpeas 
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
Sprinkle of red pepper flakes, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut off the top of the garlic head (papery cone part) enough to expose the flesh of most/all of the garlic cloves. Place on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil. Tightly wrap the garlic and place on a small pan in the middle of the oven.

Bake for 40 minutes or until the cloves have lightly browned and are soft enough to squeeze out of their skins.

Unwrap from the foil and allow to cool until you can safely handle them without getting burned. Squeeze out 1-2 teaspoons.

In the bowl of a food processor, place chickpeas, roasted garlic, lemon juice, salt, water, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Process until smooth.

Adjust seasonings and add cayenne pepper if desired. Process to combine.

Place in a bowl and top with additional olive oil and red pepper flakes if desired.

Serve with vegetables, crackers, pitas, or chips.
  

Pinit

Another recipe I loved this week: When you have burgers for dinner at least once a week it's fun to switch things up a little. Don't get me wrong, I'll never turn down a beef burger, but this Fajita Turkey Burger from Carrian at Sweet Basil was incredible. My problem with turkey burgers in general is their dryness. Not this one! I served this without buns or cilantro and we absolutely demolished them. I was able to get 5 large burgers out of my pound of turkey rather than 3-4.

I'm linking up this recipe at The Humble Brag.

12 comments:

  1. I've never made hummus, but I love it when it's super smooth.

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    1. I'm surprised you've never made hummus! But then again, I'm sure you've made tons of stuff I've never made...

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  • Julia {the roasted root}Jan 26, 2013, 6:14:00 PM

    I can tell by your pictures how smooth this hummus is. It looks delicious and I bet it's so worth the extra step! Beautiful and healthy!

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    1. Thanks Julia! I'm glad you like it. Your almond flour pancakes look awesome as well...

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  • Jocie@TheBetterHalfJan 31, 2013, 8:26:00 PM

    ooo i love hummus! and great pix as usual, Loretta! Thanks so much for sharing (sorry I was so late to visit from last week's Humble Brag link party!)

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    1. Thank you Jocie! You're so awesome for visiting all the links from your party! Quite dedicated... :)

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  • Elizabeth @ Confessions of a Baking QueenFeb 6, 2013, 12:51:00 AM

    Hummus is on my to do list, and this looks like a winning recipe. I would imagine shelling the chickpeas would be quite therapeutic for me! One day I wil give this a try :)

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    1. That's exactly how I feel Elizabeth! There's nothing like repetition to induce relaxation (or stress, depending on the person).

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  • I made this today. Skinning the chickpeas went really quickly using your method. I added the whole head of roasted garlic & a bit more olive oil & water to smooth it out. I also added a pinch more cayenne pepper & about a 1/2 t. more salt. This is really a delicious dip & I know I'll be making it again & again. Thanks! Steph

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    1. Yum! I'm glad it worked out for you. I wanted to add the whole head of garlic as well, but I was afraid it would be a little strong for some people....

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