Hummus Recipe. All Variations

Process all ingredients in a food processor until perfectly smooth. Pour into a flat platter.

Just before serving, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with paprika and minced parsley. Serve with good olives and pita bread.

Hummus Variations:

Consider these additions or substitutions at blending time, if you have any of the following on hand. As always, one at a time please!

• Roasted garlic: Substitute 1 head roasted garlic (page 232) for the fresh garlic.
• Roasted pepper: Throw in 2–3 roasted red peppers, bottled OK.
• Nutty: Substitute peanut or other nut butter for the tahini.
• Spicy: Make it as hot as you like, with jalapeño or chili powder to taste, and maybe some chopped cilantro and/or parsley.
• Avocado: Substitute an avocado for the tahini.
• Spinach: Throw in a handful of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry.
• Tofu: Throw in a cup of tofu, and a little more tahini.
• Sun-dried tomato olive: Omit the tahini, cumin, and coriander, and throw in some good pitted black olives, basil, and sun-dried tomatoes, rinsed and squeezed dry.
• Artichoke: Omit the cumin and coriander and throw in a 10-ounce box frozen and thawed artichoke hearts and some fresh or dry rosemary.
• Roasted vegetable hummus: Throw in a handful of roasted veggies. No need to make them just for the purpose of this recipe. Just take them from a batch you might have on hand.
• Beet: Throw in a medium cooked beet, and 2-3 tablespoons zaatar