READERS, delight in this news: this is the first post for which I have created an original (sorta) recipe! I know you’re excited for me, but in lieu of gifts and adulation, please send a personal check to….
Just kidding.
ta-da!
The inspiration for this creation came from Trader Joes’ White Bean and Basil Hummus. I purchased it a few weeks ago and it was devoured toot sweet. My mom had recently made beans and escarole, but she had saved some extra cooked white beans. I immediately sprang into action. I went out and got some tahini, some herbs, and concocted this beauty in my lab.
en route to being skinned
Have you guys ever used a garlic peeler? It’s a little rubber tubey thing and I think I’m in love with it. You just pop those babies in and roll it around in your hand and they come out naked. It’s genius.
shirt-wrecking tahini
What was not genius was my tahini performance. Of course when I opened the can I realized I had to stir in the inch or so of sesame oil on the top. I was not looking forward to it…stirring natural peanut butter always makes me angry. The stirrer inevitably gets oily as do my hands and I whine a lot. Tahini is about a thousand times worse. The paste is that much harder and the story ends with me trying to stab the tahini to break it up and oil all over my favorite shirt. Yes, my favorite. Balls.
zrooom
I used a hand blender because I hate real blenders and we don’t have a food processor. I’m glad I did because I really needed to maneuver to get all the tahini mixed in. The result was rather lovely. We ate it on fresh bread with some smoked salmon on top. It was f’ing wonderful alongside Spicy Cauliflower Soup (to come!).
dig in
White Bean and Basil Hummus
adapted from the Trader Joe’s label
1 cup cooked white beans
2 tbsp tahini
Juice from half a lemon
A few sprigs fresh basil, chopped
A few sprigs parsley and/or cilantro, chopped (I used both, I like herbs)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Olive oil to taste (I think I used around 1/4 cup–depends on how liquidy you want it to be)
Salt & pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients except for oil in a blender, food processor, or bowl (for hand blender technique). Blend until creamy. Keep blending and slowly add the oil in a steady stream until incorporated. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Thank your lucky stars you read my blog. Done!
mmm, this was quite delicious. Made me look forward to summer and fresh basil from the garden.