Summer is great for eating. Hello, Nature’s Bounty! But the combination of hot weather and outdoor parties can leave me a little perplexed about what to bring to a barbecue or gathering by the lake. Dairy? Absolutely not. Pasta salad? Of course! However everyone brings those. (Literally. Everyone. I went to a party a couple of years ago that should have been called “The Great Pasta Salad Potluck of 2012.”) Homemade hummus though, works perfectly. Especially when it’s spicy and creamy like this one.
And making your own chili and cumin pita chips as dippers will make you more popular than you can imagine.
Well, let me rephrase that. “It will make you almost as popular as the guy who brings the good case of beer.”
Avocado, Ancho and Cilantro Hummus
Yield 1 ½ cups (Can easily be doubled)
Ingredients:
- 1 dried ancho chili
- ½ cup boiling water
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas
- 1 ripe avocado
- ½ cup cilantro + 1 tablespoon for garnish
- 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- ½ small red onion, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions:
Cover ancho with boiling water in small bowl. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Let steam for 15 minutes. Remove the stem and roughly chop the chili. Reserve the water.
Cut avocado in half and remove the seed. Scoop out the flesh of the avocado.
In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the chickpeas, avocado, cilantro, zest of the lime, juice of the lime, tahini, onion, cumin, cayenne and salt.
Taste the hummus. If it’s too thick add more olive oil or chili water. Test again. This is the part when you’re the boss, baby! Do you want more salt? Add it. More cayenne? You know what to do. The more you love it, the more other people will too.
Refrigerate the hummus while you make the chips.
Chili and Cumin Pita Chips
Ingredients:
- 1 package pita bread
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Cut the bread into wedges. Stir together the olive oil, cumin, chili powder and salt. Brush the wedges with the olive oil mixture. Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the bread is the desired texture. (You might like them super crispy, I like them to still be a little pliable.)
Serve with hummus.
(Photos by Launie K.)
