So many possibilities! What do you like?
Anyone who has been to my kitchen knows there is always a bowl of hummus in my refrigerator. It is often lunch, a snack, sometimes even breakfast or supper. We have it on a salad, offered up with cucumbers or endive leaves, smeared on rye crackers, or dressed up for a party with all the previous scattered around the bowl.
A different dish every time
I can’t count the number of ways I’ve made hummus; every possible herb has been added at one time or another, different beans or vegetables too, carrot hummus is quite tasty. It’s fun to play with, experiment, and add what you’ve got to the mix. Some ingredients are always there: tahini of course, a bit of cumin, the toasted sesame oil, and just a little garlic. But my herbs will often vary, and sometimes I don’t add them at all!
A class to pass the time
During the pandemic, I took an on-line cooking course with Yotam Ottolenghi and hummus was one of the offerings – whipped very smooth for a long time in the food processor with lots of lemon juice and ice water added to make a creamy and delicious bowl of perfection. I did love the smooth consistency, thinner than what I usually make, but I also love to leave it a little rougher sometimes; it all depends on my mood I guess. He used a confit of garlic, slow roasted on the stove top which lent a lovely flavor, and took away the raw garlic harshness that we sometimes taste in a hummus, especially if it has been kept a few days. I’ve used that technique here. The confit garlic by themselves are also delightful spread on a baguette toast, and right now, I have a jar of them sitting on my counter!
Chickpeas from scratch, or not
I usually cook my own dried chickpeas, and that is what I advise in general. They have a nicer flavor, and are much less expensive. But in a pinch, you will find a can of organic, no-salt added chickpeas in my larder! If that is what you have, this will turn out fine.
If you can find a Meyer lemon, they are really good here
In this batch, I used beautiful Meyer lemons, fat and juicy and so flavorful. The aroma is quite earthy to me, reminds me a bit of balsam, Christmas tree scent, but no one else here seems to get that! When using citrus zest is it always important to buy organic as the skin is where so many of the pesticides remain.
Experiment with herbs
My chives are going crazy in the back yard, so in they went! You can also use thyme, marjoram, chervil, savory, sweet Cicely, anything you love. Adjust the garlic and cayenne to your own preference, and blend as much or little as you want.
So this is one way I made hummus recently, and added Ottolenghi’s confit garlic, but who knows how I’ll make it next week. What will you add to it today?
Meyer Lemon and Herb Hummus with Confit Garlic
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas, plus some of the cooking liquid
- ½ cup toasted tahini
- 8 confit garlic cloves, below
- Zest of 1 Meyer lemon, or other lemon
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
- ½ tsp. ground cumin
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, or a bit more
- 2 tbsp. fresh snipped chives, minced
- ¼ cup tightly packed parsley and stems
- Water to thin if necessary
- Sesame seeds to garnish
Combine chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, sesame oil, cumin, cayenne, chives, parsley, and a bit of salt and pepper in the food processor and whirl for a minute.
Taste, correct the seasoning, and add a bit of the bean liquid or more lemon juice, your taste will tell. Process another minute, then check for seasoning and consistency. You might want to stop here, or continue processing until smoother. The longer you process, the less you will be able to see the herbs, and the hummus will look greener, but in a good way.
Taste again. If you are happy, serve! Drizzle with a bit more sesame oil and sprinkle with some sesame seeds, I used black ones here. This is also good topped with toasted chickpeas. Serve with crackers, toasts, cut-up vegetables, or mound on a salad. This is also delicious used as a spread on a roll-up.
Ottolenghi’s Confit Garlic
In a small saucepan, combine 12 garlic cloves, 6 sprigs of thyme, 1 green chili, 200 ml olive oil, and a bit of salt. Cover and cook until the garlic becomes soft, about 25 minutes. It will just begin to color. Set this aside for another ten minutes, then place in a sterilized jar.
He advises the garlic can survive at room temperature for several weeks, but it does not last that long in my house!
My Notes:
You’ll want to double the amount of garlic, at least, or why bother? My instructions are a little simpler; put as many garlic cloves in a saucepan that you can tolerate peeling neatly, cover with olive oil, toss in some thyme sprigs and a pinch of salt, and simmer until soft and just starting to brown.
© Copyright 2023– or current year, The New Vintage Kitchen. Unattributed use of this material is strictly prohibited. Reposting and links may be used, provided that credit is given to The New Vintage Kitchen, with active link and direction to this original post.
The New Vintage Kitchen does not accept ads or payment for mention of products or businesses.
Supporter of: Slow Food Fair Trade USA Northeast Organic Farmers Association EcoWatch Let’s Save Our Planet No Kid Hungry Hunger Free Vermont Environmental Working Group World Central Kitchen
Very nice very easy and their are so many variations. Love it!
Thank you! There is always some waiting for friends to stop by!
Your doors are always opened and the always ready. A lady once told me that as soon as she placed covers on her pots and pans and the fire was turned off, friends and family arrived at that moment unexpectedly, ready to eat. Thank you for your yummy hospitality.
Always be prepared!
👍👍
I had heard of Ottolenghi’s ‘trick’ of ice water before and have used it ever since. What I do is thin the tahini with the ice water even before placing all the ingredients in the blender. About the chickpea water, i.e. the water the chickpeas/garbanzo are cooked in and now called “aquafaba” – well, it turns out that it is very unhealthy! and pace vegans who use as a substitute for egg whites. I always throw away the water the chickpeas have cooked in, and if using jarred/canned ones I rinse them in cold water several times. Please forgive me if I sound as if I am pontificating – I really do not wish to! It’s just that I don’t think many people are aware of what the chickpea cooking water contains. Below is just one of several links you can find on the subject. For the rest, your hummus sounds amazing! https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/aquafaba-bean-water/
Oh my Jo, I had no idea! Thank you so much for this. I guess I am guilty of not thinking things through logically. Of course, if any part of any food is edible (especially something as staple to so many cultures as beans) someone would have used it before 2015! I remember my mom always telling me to toss the bean soaking liquid, but I never asked her why, and she probably would have said “Because that is how MY mother did it!”
Amazing! And thank you, the hummus was delicious!
Your recipe looks delicious! I love the Meyer lemon!
The Meyer lemon has such a unique flavor, and they are usually big and juicy. Just love them too!
What makes me think I’ll end up wondering how I’ve lived this long without confit garlic?! 😂
That is exactly what I thought after making this my friend.
What else don’t I know I can’t live without????
🤣🤣🤣
Just don’t tell me it’s kale…
In my last teaching job, several members of staff went nuts over buying Nutribullet blenders so they could drink kale for breakfast. I mean, why would you? 😝 Life is just too short for some things! I like kale and it’s a really reliable winter veg for us but only cooked in interesting and tasty ways. I have to be honest, the current crop of asparagus is a lot more attractive . . . 😉
I totally agree on all points!
I love hummus and this sounds incredible!
Thank you! I really loved this one a lot, the confit garlic really made a difference.
LOL, great minds think alike. I made hummus this past weekend based on Otto’s recipe but I used sun dried tomatoes along with the Meyer Lemon. The garlic confit looks fabulous. I’ll bet those pieces of garlic are wonderful to cook with.
Oh, they are Bernie. I think I’m always going to have a jar on the counter now! I tucked some in fried potatoes over the weekend, and smeared them on little toasts. Heavenly!
We may be cooking telepathic!
Looks delicious. Could I sneak in a bag of chips? 🙂
No need to sneak them in Judy, they are probably sitting in my pantry!
Hummus is such a favourite of mine, Dorothy. I know it will taste even better with the confit garlic… I had to look up the meaning of ‘confit’… Whoa, the added flavour will be amazing, I’m sure! 🙂
It adds a mellow sweetness, that wonderful almost roasted garlic flavor. This is going to be my standard from now on for hummus.
I am so pleased that ‘Jo’ above spoke of the dangers of ‘Aquafaba’. Dorothy, when I first became vegetarian, some years past, and began to consume lots of beans I investigated and found similar ideas regarding the ‘hard to digest’ beans, let alone the liquid in which they are/were cooked. I have since avoided altogether the liquid, particularly in the canned varieties. My digestive system, after months of digestive ups and downs eventually became tolerant of all beans; thank goodness.
However, the liquid I definitely forgo!
I am truly grateful for all this information, I had no idea! I just thought my mom avoided all the liquid because her mother did! But it does stand to reason.
I’m swooning over the plate. 🍃🐟😍
Don’t worry, I’ll catch you if you fall!
Free-falling. 🎶🎶🎶
Dorothy, This hummus reads relatively easy to make looks so delicious. I am excited to try it out.
Your creativity in the kitchen knows no bounds Dorothy! This sounds amazing!
Why thank you Jenna! I like to try to mix things up to keep it interesting!
I love hummus–this looks amazing!
Thank you! I was definitely happy with this little confit garlic twist!
My husband would love this, he’s the hummus fan in our family!
We all love it in our family, so versatile from party to simple snack.
Yummy!!
Thank you!
Oh Yum! One of my favorites and I love how you gave it some new life.
Thanks Jovina, there’s always an interesting swap to try!
I really like the use of lemon zest and garlic confit in this recipe! The most important about hummus is to make it yourself from scratch rather than store-bought, which of course speaks by itself for you. I’ll have to try this cooking the chickpeas myself rather than using a jar or can. We
Thanks Stefan. I love the flavor of the chickpeas when I cook them myself, and it is easier to control the salt.
A purist would peel the chickpeas after they are cooked. I did that – once!
We need all the fiber we can get!
I am a hummus fan too! This recipe is beautiful. Thanks for sharing with us.
Velva
Thanks Velva! It’s always in my refrigerator!
Great idea, to use Meyer lemon here. I still didn’t find decent ones, so here’s another reason to go looking for it again. 🙂
Sometimes it takes more than one hunting party!
So, you always have hummus in the fridge? Boy oh boy, you’ve sure got my number! I’ve never thought to use Meyer lemon in hummus but it makes perfect sense!
It is a weekly ritual, the making of the hummus. Sometimes I get in a rut and just throw the same stuff in over and over, but you gotta mix it up too!
I’m a big hummus fan, and I especially love lemon hummus! This sounds so good!
Thank you! Lemon makes everything better!
Sounds super delicious! I love a good hummus! And I love the idea that by simply changing an herb, the hummus will taste different!
You had me at Meyer lemons and chickpeas Dorothy!
Thank you! Hard to go wrong with these!
this sounds just the ticket! I love hummus and usually have some in the fridge. THis version sounds the biz!
It’s so handy to have made up. Just a few minutes, and you have a bowl of possible lunches and snacks waiting for you. OR, the start of a party! 🕺🎶
I’m so glad someone else has mentioned the whole aquafaba thing. I was always told it was bad for you and should definitely be washed away. So i could never figure out what was going on with using it for meringues etc. EEk!!
Deep in my mind, a little voice nudged me every time I used it – “Mom said toss this out! Rinse those beans!”
My chives in the backyard are doing well too, Dorothy! Thanks for the idea to add them to homemade hummus 😋
They seem to grow inches every day with the rain we’ve had!
Yummy
Thank you! The garlic confit is really special here.
I have a lemon tree and tons of lemons. I can make this hummus but what else can I do with these lemons? My neighbors are starting to avoid me when I come by with my bags of lemons! Hugs, C
Oh my goodness, that’s a problem to have!
I would squeeze a whole bunch and put them in ice-cube trays, then, pop them out and store them individually, just about the right amount to use in recipes all year! Zest them first and make lemon pepper (https://vintagekitchen.org/lemon-lavender-pepper/).
Or better yet, grab a bottle of vodka and make limoncello! I’m pretty sure that’s an Italian ritual when the lemons are in season!https://vintagekitchen.org/2019/02/10/homemade-limoncello/
Happy lemon picking. Can I move in next door?
Thank you! I’ll freeze some for sure but the limoncello might be the winner! And yes, I’d love for you to move next door! We would be trouble in a good way. 💕C
Without a doubt, my friend!
If ever I am given extra lemons I just put them in the freezer whole. You can zest them frozen and when thawed they give lots more juice than when fresh.
So there is always a lemon 🍋 ready for the hot lemon drink for that nasty cold (with a tot of rum!!) :))
What a great tip Mary! I’m definitely going to start doing this!