Split-Pea Hummus

Every time I make something with tahini, I keep thinking that it will finish the jar.  It's the never-ending jar of tahini, and that stuff does go rancid if you let it sit too long.  Well, I finally finished it off with this one.

There's a website called pulses.org that's all about lentils and such.  They had this recipe which looked good and was all stuff I had on hand.  It was also something to do with the pound of split peas I stocked up on other than soup.

There were a couple of comments on the recipe that I'm taking to heart and incorporating as part of the directions.  I'm also personally using preserved lemon instead of the other lemony ingredients and the salt, but I'm leaving the written recipe as from fresh.  And yes, I'm putting "or to taste" a lot in this post.  The cumin, for example, sounded like a lot and the garlic didn't sound like enough.

*2/3 C dry split peas
1-1/2 C vegetable broth
*1/4 C tahini
*2 cloves garlic, or to taste
*2 Tb lemon juice
1* tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1 Tb cumin, or to taste
1/4 C olive oil, or to taste

1.  Check split peas for stones.  Rinse lightly, then add to a medium saucepan with the vegetable broth.  Bring to a low boil over medium.  Lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until peas are done and mushy, about 30-40 min.  You can either refrigerate the result to finish later, in which case it will thicken on its own, or drain off and reserve some of the remaining broth, maybe 1/3 C, as you make the hummus warm.

2.  Everybody in the food processor except the oil and reserved broth.  Pulse at first to distribute, then run until smooth.  Taste, then adjust seasonings.  Add back some of the broth if too thick, remembering that it will thicken more as it chills.  Finish with about 10 seconds of running the processor while drizzling in the oil.

3.  Chill hummus until ready to serve.  Enjoy with pita, crackers, and veggies.  I had it as part of a summery tapas meal.

Makes about 2 C

Difficulty rating  π