by request

I make a mean hummus. Secret? Take out the damn tahini.

I freehand the recipe every time but let's see if I can break it down...

1 can organic chickpeas - rinsed and drained
1 lemon (choose organic if you are using the zest, pesticides reside heavily in the rind)
1 head of garlic (russian red is the best)
good olive oil
salt
fresh ground pepper
paprika
fresh parsley

The quality of your ingredients is important in this recipe because it is essentially a raw dip so you taste everything.

Pre-heat oven to 425 F. Slice the head of garlic in half lengthwise so every clove is exposed, then rub a bit of olive oil onto the exposed garlic cloves, place the halves of the head on top of each other again, wrap the head in aluminum foil and roast for 20 - 25 minutes. Roasted garlic provides a milder flavour than fresh garlic.

Meanwhile, dump the cleaned chickpeas into a large bowl. Glug about four tablespoons of olive oil into the bowl and add approximately a half teaspoon of salt, a half teaspoon of fresh ground pepper and a quarter teaspoon of paprika. Wash and roughly chop up a handful of fresh parsley (including the stems) and add that to the bowl. Cut your lemon in half and squeeze the juice from both halves into the mix using your hand as a strainer to catch any seeds. Lemon seeds will ruin your hummus, making it grossly bitter. I like to add extra lemon flavour and so I will zest the lemon and add that too.

When you take your roasted garlic out of the oven, it should be softened but still white. Squeeze the cloves out of the skin into the soon-to-be-hummus mixture. Now this is where I use my immersion blender but I am pretty sure a regular blender would be fine too (and in that case, you wouldn't need a mixing bowl, you could simply mix the ingredients in the blender). Blend until smooth, taste and adjust the seasoning (salt/pepper/paprika). If your hummus seems too thick, add a bit more olive oil. Blend again. Serve with veggies and toasted pita bread brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper.

Current secret ingredient: fancy dried garlic dip mix (just a pinch) added before blending.

Recipe by Aubrie Chaylt. Image from Google Images.