LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Hummus - the great dip you can't get enough of


Photo Susie Iventosch

Since we published the Festive Lemon Hummus recipe a few months ago, I've been experimenting with new variations of hummus, using different veggies and different beans. One of my new favorites is this olive hummus made with cannellini beans, Kalamata olives, and just a few anchovy olives. If you're not an olive fan, this dish is not for you, but if you are, you are going to love it! The cannellini beans add a slightly different flavor and texture from the regular garbanzo beans, and they pair so well with the olives. For this hummus, you need no added salt, since olives are already salty.

Hummus is so quick and easy to make, especially if you use canned beans, which I always do. It's a lot of fun to try different combinations of ingredients and sometime during the year, we will feature roasted red pepper hummus, followed by a Mexican style pinto bean hummus.

This hummus is great as a dip served with raw veggies or pita bread, but it's also the perfect accompaniment for lamb burgers or lamb chops. We recently made lamb burgers, seasoned with fresh rosemary and oregano, topped with melted goat cheese and olive tapenade served on brioche buns, with this Kalamata Olive Hummus on the side. Oh my. It was such a stellar combination of flavors - very Mediterranean. I hope you love this as much as my family does!

Kalamata Olive Hummus

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp. tahini (use more if you love tahini)

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (14.5 oz.) can cannellini beans (or Great Northern Beans)

8-10 anchovy-stuffed olives, halved or quartered

3/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted, halved, or quartered

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (divided)

1/4 cup parsley for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Drain the cannellini beans in a colander and rinse with fresh water. Cut the olives into halves or quarters. Place the tahini, lemon juice and garlic in the bowl of the food processor. Process until very smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add the olives to the food processor and process until smooth. Next add the beans, 1/3 of them at a time, processing until smooth after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Finally, add 2 tbsp. olive oil and blend well. If the hummus is too thick, add a tiny bit of ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency. Usually, given the liquid from the olives, you won't need to add any added liquid.

To serve, spoon the mixture into a flat bowl. Using the back of a spoon, make little canals in the hummus by starting on the outside of the bowl and working your way to the center of the bowl. Drizzle the remaining olive oil in the cavities and garnish with minced parsley.