Herbed Chickpea Dip

From the book The Basic Gourmet by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, Kathleen Taggart, and Georgia Vareldzis

Introduction

This recipe is a variation on what you might know as hummus, a traditional Lebanese spread served with pita bread. It’s a simple appetizer to make ahead and serve accompanied with warmed pita bread and/or raw vegetables. The best and easiest way to make this dip is in a food processor. A blender will work, but not nearly as easily. The flavors come together better if this dip is made a few hours ahead or the day before serving.

Ingredients

Steps

1. In the bowl of a food processor or in a blender, combine parsley and garlic; process until finely minced. Leaving chickpeas in the can, drain the liquid from can. Fill can with cold water, then drain chickpeas again. Add chickpeas, tahini, salt, and lemon juice to the minced garlic mixture. Process the mixture to a smooth puree. Place dip in a serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Remove from refrigerator ½ hour before serving.

Notes

• Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans; look for either name on the can.
• Tahini is ground sesame seed paste, typically available in the health food section of your grocery store. Sometimes oil settles to the top of the jar; this needs to be mixed back into the paste before using. Store leftover tahini in the refrigerator; it seems to keep indefinitely when tightly sealed.
• Cut fresh pita bread into wedges, enclose in aluminum foil, and warm for 10 to 15 minutes in a preheated 250°F oven.
• Fresh vegetables such as carrots, celery, and red and green bell peppers, cut into strips, make nice accompaniments to the dip. Broccoli and cauliflower florets are also great.

This content is from the book The Basic Gourmet by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, Kathleen Taggart, and Georgia Vareldzis.