Miss M's Homemade Garlic Hummus

I have already professed my love for Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's cookbook, Jerusalem. But just in case you didn't get the memo the first time, it is spectacular.

Here's the thing. You know how fancy European style bakeries seduce you with gooey rustic fruit tarts, fluffy whipped cream-topped pots de creme and snowy rows of toasted coconut pastries that legitimize all your 8-year-old fantasies about what dessert is supposed to be? Yeah, well, Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi do that too. But with vegetables. And legumes. 

Hummus, right. It's relatively innocuous. Two out of three KC kids dip carrot sticks and crackers in it by their own free will so that's something. I pick up a plastic container every couple of weeks at the grocery store, so why don't I ever make my own? Assuming you cook the beans ahead of time or use (gasp!) canned, it takes all of 10 minutes. That's not including resting time which I interpret more as sampling and adjusting time anyway.

As with most bean-based endeavors, Bean was looking forward to serving as kitchen assistant on Project Hummus. When the time came, however, she'd been sucked into a lengthy "game" of school with a relentless and exacting teacher, her big sister, Looly, and there was no recess to be had. Thankfully my adorable niece and cooking buddy, Miss M, stopped by to help me out instead.

At the risk of maxing out the cute-o-meter, I'm posting this photo of Miss M at work anyway. Look at that smirk! She was a stellar helper but do you think she tried a lick when we were finished? Not a chance.

Miss M's Homemade Garlic Hummus
Adapted from Jerusalem a Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

3 & 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1 cup tahini paste
4 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
8 cloves garlic (it is garlic hummus, people)
1 & 1/2 tsp salt
6 to 8 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Put the garbanzo beans in a food processor. If your food processor canister is on the small side, like mine, you might want to divide everything in half and work in 2 batches. Miss M and I almost blew the lid off ours trying to do too much at once.

Process the beans until they form a paste. Keep the machine running and pour in the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. With the machine still running, add the water a tablespoon at a time until you reach your perfect hummus consistency. This is a most personal preference. For me it took 7 tablespoons. Let the hummus rest for 30 minutes or more.

Spoon the hummus onto a plate, garnish with parsley and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds for a little crunch. Serve with warm pita, carrot sticks, cucumber slices, or just about anything else you care to dip.

more garlic = more yummy

Chickpea Salad (Balilah)

I have a problem.

Despite the hundreds of post-it-notes peaking out from recipes waiting to be made in the scores of cookbooks I already own, I can't stop myself from bringing home just one more. Ever. But it could be worse - orphans, kittens, Maseratis.

I read cookbooks cover to cover. Based on the number of flagrant typos I come across, it seems not many other people do that. Shelf space is long gone so my most recent acquisitions reside in the middle of the kitchen island as a centerpiece of sorts. Mufasa's been kind enough not to mention it.

My current obsession is Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. The photos are reason enough to buy the book but the message of hope, tolerance, and community is why you need to own it now. And the recipes!

Despite all the food challenges I run up against on a daily basis (textural sensitivity, nut allergy, egg allergy, eosinophilic esophagitis, diabetes, 4-year-olds...) it's awesome that Roo and Bean both love beans. Looly is another story but she's easily satiated with other forms of protein as long as they're accompanied by lemon wedges. Lemon steak? Don't knock it til you've tried it.

Beans, though. Beans are such perfect 4-year-old sustenance. Protein, fiber, folate, and no knife skills required. Garbanzos are Bean's absolute favorite and thanks to this fresh, lemony recipe courtesy of Jerusalem, they were in her lunchbox all last week.

Keep in mind that when using dried beans they're going to need to soak overnight. Try not to used canned beans here if you can help it. It's worth the wait.

Chickpea Salad (Balilah)
adapted slightly from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

1 cup dried chickpeas (AKA garbanzo beans)
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 green onions,thinly sliced
1 large lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
2 & 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced or microplaned to a pulp
salt and pepper

1. Put the beans in a large bowl and cover them with plenty of cold water. Add the baking soda and let them sit out to soak overnight or at least 8 hours. They will have nearly doubled in volume by morning.
2. Drain the chickpeas and put them in a large pot covered once again with lots of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim the foamy goop off the top of the water, turn down the heat and simmer for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The beans will cook faster or slower depending on how fresh they are. Check them often after the first hour of cooking. They should yield when pinched between your fingers but fight the urge to cook them until they are mushy.
3. Meanwhile, put the parsley in a large bowl. Use a lemon zester or Microplane grater to zest the lemon (about 1 tbsp zest) into the parsley. Cut both ends off the lemon and using a sharp knife, remove the skin, the bitter white pith, and any seeds and discard. Chop the lemon flesh and add it to the bowl with the zest and parsley.
4. When the beans are soft (but not mushy!), drain them and add them while they're hot to the bowl with the parsley mixture. Add the olive oil, cumin, and garlic. Toss gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Don't be stingy with the pepper. Serve at room temperature or in a lunchbox.