Dreamy Hummus, Ezme Salad, and Gunshot Induced Insomnia

Come spring, I love to savor fresh vegetables. Hummus is one of my favorite ways to make that happen. I have been working on perfecting my traditional hummus recipe for years, but have never been able to get that perfect silky texture I seek. Today, I found the secret.

In the words of my future father-in-law, ‘Prepare to be bonerized.’

… remove the skins from the chick peas. Pinch the beans between your fingers and a thin film will come off. That’s it! So simple! I can’t believe it took ten years to figure it out! I also like to add a little Greek yogurt to take my hummus to a whole ‘nother level.

Enjoy this dreamy hummus with spicy ezme salad. This is basically Mediterranean salsa, and it is a fantastic condiment with kabobs and sandwiches too.

Creamy Dreamy Hummus 
*vegetarian

1 15oz can chickpeas, drained with skins removed

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 TBS lemon juice

4 TBS Tahini

4 TBS olive oil

2 TBS Greek yogurt

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp ground pepper

Place all ingredients in a food processor. Process until blended into a smooth consistency. Garnish with paprika and Greek feta. Serve with pita chips and dipping veggies.

Turkish Ezme Salad
*vegan

2 dried ancho chilies, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes, deseeded and chopped

1 serrano, chopped with seeds

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium white onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 handful Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/3 cup olive oil

1 TBS lemon juice

3 TBS tomato paste

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp paprika

Place all ingredients in a food processor. Process until blended into a salsa consistency. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with pita chips and dipping veggies.

***While writing this post, I was interrupted by the sound multiple gunshots outside. I called the police and then went back to my blog about the realities of domestic bliss. Bill, the cats and I are now huddling in the dark away from windows. The joys of Cincinnati living!