With summer quickly approaching, here is a great dip you can take to cookouts or picnics. Roasting the garlic makes it sweeter and mellower than not roasting it, bringing a great flavor to the hummus. The lemon juice adds just enough tartness and acidity, and the cayenne pepper gives it a great bite, which you get to control.

It takes about an hour to roast the garlic, but is well worth it. Not only is this hummus so tasty, but it’s low in calories and good for you!

Ingredients

• 1 head garlic
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 can (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sesame tahini
• Sea salt to taste
• Cayenne pepper to taste
• Pitted olives, such as kalamatas, for garnish
• Fresh parsley sprigs, for garnish

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Peel off some of the looser papery skin from the head of garlic. Cut off the top of the garlic, exposing a little bit of each of the cloves. Place garlic on a big enough piece of foil to completely wrap it and drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the cut end.

Surround garlic with foil and place in a small baking dish.

Roast for an hour or so, until the garlic cloves are soft. Open the foil and let garlic sit until cool enough to handle. Your kitchen smells wonderful right about now, unless you’re a vampire!

Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins. Place the cloves in your food processor, along with the rest of the olive oil, chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, salt and cayenne pepper.

Puree until the hummus reaches the desired smoothness. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving to let the flavors intensify.

When you are ready to serve the hummus, drizzle with more olive oil if desired, and top with olives and parsley.

I like to serve this hummus with toasted pita tips and grape leaves or fresh veggies such as celery, carrots and red bell pepper strips.

Love hummus? Here’s another one of my favorites – Kel’s Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.

Bon appétit!

Eat, drink and be merry!

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