Chickpea Spread Recipes

SPICY HUMMUS: QUICK CHICKPEA SPREAD

Steps:

• Combine beans, tahini, oil, pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, garlic, salt, and lemon juice in food processor bowl and grind into a smooth paste. Transfer to a small dip dish and surround spread with warm pita wedges. This recipe makes a great appetizer, or anytime snack.
• Tidbit: this is a fantastic dish to take to a pot luck or block party -- it's always a hit!

SHIRO (ETHIOPIAN CHICKPEA SPREAD)

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil and 2 teaspoons of the Spiced Butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger and berbere and whisk until combined. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant and the mixture has thickened up slightly, about 2 minutes.
• Whisk in the chickpea flour, stirring briskly to avoid lumps; this will thicken quickly. Whisk in the tomatoes, 1 cup of water and the remaining 1 teaspoon Spiced Butter. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, adding more water as needed and stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and the flour has cooked out, at least 10 minutes and up to 45 minutes for a stronger flavor. The shiro should have the consistency of thick buttermilk; it will thicken as it stands and cools. Season with salt and pepper and serve on injera if desired.
• Cut the butter into pieces and put in a saucepan with the cinnamon, garlic, ginger, rosemary, and turmeric. Turn the heat to low, let the butter melt, then simmer very gently (you don't want the milk solids to brown) for 30 minutes to infuse the flavors into the butter.
• Let the butter sit for 10 minutes until the milk solids settle at the bottom. Skim off any froth and pull out the cinnamon, garlic, ginger, and rosemary. Pour the butter into a large measuring cup--be careful to leave all the milk solids behind. Discard the solids. Then pour the butter into ice cube trays and freeze it. Once they're solid, you can put the butter cubes into plastic bags and keep them in the freezer for months.

CHICKPEA SANDWICH SPREAD

Steps:

• In a blender, combine the pickle relish, mayonnaise, pickle juice and mustard. Add one can of chickpeas; cover and process until smooth. Gradually add remaining can of chickpeas; blend until smooth., Transfer to a large bowl; stir in celery and carrot. Line pita bread with spinach leaves and tomato slices. Place about 1/2 cup chickpea mixture in each pita half.

CHICKPEA SPREAD

Steps:

• Brush the onion slices with a little olive oil and season with kosher salt and pepper. On a hot griddle pan or in a cast-iron skillet, grill until tender and slightly char-marked.
• In a food processor, combine the grilled onion, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, shallots, basil, and cumin. Pulse into a chunky purée. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, then the lemon juice. The mixture should be quite smooth.
• Transfer to a large bowl and add the Chickpea Confit. Fold together to blend. Return to the food processor in batches, and purée until the mixture is smooth and thick. Season to taste with pepper and salt (if the sun-dried tomatoes are very salty, you may not need much). The texture is a matter of taste; if it is very thick, add a little more olive oil to yield a creamier result. Well covered, the spread will last for at least a week in the refrigerator.
• For two different textures, puree half the spread until very smooth and pale, and leave the other half chunky.
• If you refrigerate the spread overnight, you can return it to a nice creamy texture by rewhipping in the food processor (pulse on and off for 1 minute).
• The Wedge: Cut a small triangle of pita and smear with Chickpea Spread. Top with a pinch of crumbled feta and some sliced scallions, picked sprigs of parsley or dill, and a few slivers of olive.

HAZELNUT-CHICKPEA-CHOCOLATE SPREAD

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse the hazelnuts until they form a fine meal. Add the chickpeas and process until combined. Add the coconut sugar, cocoa powder, oil, vanilla and 1/4 cup water and process until smooth.
• Serve the spread with strawberries, pretzels and/or graham crackers.

VEGETARIAN CHICKPEA SANDWICH FILLING

Steps:

• Drain and rinse chickpeas. Pour chickpeas into a medium size mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Mix in celery, onion, mayonnaise (to taste), lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper to taste.