I made the Tomato and Caramelized Onion Tart on Friday and I had some extra caramelized onions. I had not made this wonderful hummus in quite a while so I was really excited to have the onions done and ready to use in this recipe. My youngest is allergic to sesame seeds. The first time she ate traditional hummus she said "Mommy, that hummus is making my head wiggle." She was about two years old when she said that for the first time. When I had her tested for allergies the doctor tried to get her to explain what she meant when she said her "head wiggled" ....that was interesting. :)
My kids love hummus and this one is not like any they had had but they love this recipe, too! There is no tahini (sesame seed paste) in this recipe but the caramelized garlic and onions give it a wonderful nutty flavor. This recipe has just 5 ingredients and is super easy to make --you've heard this before, yes? I hope you try it!
Hummus with Caramelized Onions & Garlic
1 can (15 ounces) Chick Peas, drained, reserve liquid
1/4 cup caramelized onions
2 garlic cloves, chopped
freshly ground pepper
kosher salt
See the link for caramelized onions --this will take you to the Tomato Tart recipe which shows step-by-step pictures for caramelizing onions. 1 medium to large onion should be fine for this recipe. In a large heavy skillet cook sliced onion and chopped garlic with salt to taste in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, covered, over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden and any liquid evaporates. Remove skillet from heat to cool onions slightly. These can be made several days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until needed.
If you have caramlized onions already (like I did) then you will need to saute' garlic in a skillet, with a tablespoon of olive oil, over medium heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Drain chick peas but reserve liquid from can. Put chick peas, onions, and garlic in a food processor and process about 10 times until chickpeas are nicely chopped up. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put processor on process and pour some of the reserved liquid into processor (via feed tube) while it is processing. It may take a couple minutes to get a smooth consistency. I like it just a tiny bit chunky --not completely smooth. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with pita chips and/or crudite!