Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Hummus with Goat Cheese

Hummus has long been a popular and easy summer meal solution. Also a delightful appetizer to serve to guests, such a simple indulgence will likewise bring comfort to the staunchest of hermits. Once the beans are cooked, and a few things roughly chopped, everything goes into a food processor and in minutes, you have a healthy legume dip to serve with raw vegetables and slices of pita bread or perhaps some whole meal biscuits — assuming you can resist the urge to eat it by the spoonful, in large quantities. Honestly, I could eat vats of this stuff, which might account for the large quantity this recipe yields. Imagine 4 cups of good nourishment dressed up as decadence.

This is a riff on my favorite trio of sun-dried tomatoes, goat cheese and olives. Inspired by memories of olive tapenade, olive hummus, and spicy roasted red pepper hummus, this new favorite was born and consumed with pleasure. For a vegan version, simply omit the goat cheese.

Sun-Dried Tomato and Olive Hummus with Goat Cheese

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Middle Eastern Published on July 2, 2009 Robust and flavorful spiced hummus with sun-dried tomatoes, olives and tangy goat cheese Preparation: 20 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried chickpeas (2 1/2 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans) 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes 3/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped 1/2 cup tahini juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped 1/2 cup soft unripened goat cheese 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne 1/3 cup fresh parsley 2 tablespoons olive oil sea salt to taste Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight in enough water to cover. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a large saucepan and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 2 hours or until the beans are buttery soft. Drain and set aside. Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid, and roughly chop the tomatoes. Reserve a few olives for garnish, along with a few more to stir into the processed hummus for added texture. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and the remaining ingredients along with a few tablespoons of the reserved sun-dried tomato soaking liquid. Process until all of the ingredients are puréed. Add more of the reserved sun-dried tomato soaking liquid if necessary to achieve your desired consistency. Stir in most of the reserved chopped olive and garnish with the remaining olives and some sprigs of parsley. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. Bring the hummus to room temperature and stir briefly before re-serving. Makes 4 cups