Hummus with Homemade Tahini

I try to make this every couple weeks since it’s works great as a condiment, spread, or chip dip. I typically use store-bought tahini, but it seems we forgot to replenish our supply after the last batch of hummus. Finding a half cup of sesame seeds in the spice cupboard I ventured to create my own. It ended up being extremely simple, although a bit time consuming since it was made by hand. I definitely prefer the homemade version. Not as salty, with a nuttier smokier flavor. This recipe is a great since it can be used as basic recipe that you can add various herbs, spices, and sauces for variety.

Tahini
1/2 Cup Sesame Seeds
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp. Salt
(yields ~1/2cup)

Begin by toasting the sesame seeds in a dry pan (cast iron works great!) over medium heat stirring occasionally to ensure they evenly toast (~10 minutes).

Once the seeds are toasted pour them into a mortar, or food processor, along with the salt.

Using the mortar and pestle, grind the seeds until most of the hulls have split.

Since the moisture content of the sesame seeds can vary add the olive oil 1 Tbsp at a time until you get a consistency similar to natural peanut butter. Don’t be concerned if there are still whole seeds. They’ll either be taken care of in the food processor or add texture.

Hummus
1 – 15oz. can Chickpeas
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Tahini
2-3 Cloves Garlic

Drain chickpeas, reserving 1/3 cup of liquid. Add chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice and tahini to food processor. Process until desired consistency, adding reserved liquid as needed.

This hummus is perfectly delicious as is, but our favorite way to serve it….

…is with some spice!

Creamy, nutty, spicy perfection!

Some other great variations:
Rosemary and Olive Oil Hummus
– Add 1 Tbsp. chopped rosemary and 2 Tbsp. good flavored EVOO.

Sour Cream and Onion Hummus
– Add 1 additional Tbsp. lemon juice and 2 Tsp. onion powder.

Pizza Party Hummus
– Add 1/4 cup chopped sliced pepperoni, 1 Tsp. dried oregano, 1 Tsp. dried basil, 1/2 tsp onion power.

Enjoy!

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Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Chicken Taco Friday in the Red Kitchen tonight! The fresh smoky taste of Roasted Tomatillo Salsa is the perfect companion.

Ingredients:
2 lbs Tomatillos
1 Green Pepper
2 Medium Onions (red, white or yellow)
8 Cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp. Lime Juice
1 Tbsp Vinegar (apple cider or white)
1 Tsp. Kosher Salt

Grill all veggies over medium-high direct heat until slightly charred. The tomatillos will become soft and start dripping. This is when you want to take them off the grill so you don’t lose too much of the liquid.

Transfer the tomatillos and onions to a bowl to cool. Set the garlic cloves aside until cool enough to peel the papery skin off. Allow this to sit for 20 minutes.

Once cool enough to handle, place the onions, pepper and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until the onions and pepper are fairly well chopped but not pureed. Transfer the garlic/pepper/onion mixture to a bowl. Add tomatillos and pulse until slightly chunky. Add to bowl. Stir in the lime juice, vinegar and salt.

Refrigerate for ~1 hour to allow flavors to blend. Typically we would add 1-2 jalapeno peppers (roasting them along with everything else), but the munchkin will be eating this too. This makes ~2 quarts which seems like alot, but it freezes very well in tupperware or freezer bags.

Enjoy!