Jalapeno Hummus

Ever since the success of our first hummus attempt, I have been considering different hummus recipes to try.  Should I make jalapeno hummus (which I love)?  Or red pepper hummus?  Should I go completely outside the box and make black bean hummus or white bean hummus?  Or should I make more traditional hummus?  Today I was in the mood for something lightly spicy, but not too complicated.  I think that's mostly because for the past week plus I have been gorging myself on food in various Aruban and NYC restaurants.  After eating so much rich and intensely flavorful food, I wanted something light and simple.  So I took a traditional hummus and added jalapeno and a pinch of cayenne pepper for some additional kick. 

Thus hummus had good flavor, but it wasn't as creamy and different as the Smoky Chipotle Hummus I made a few months ago.  You can taste the chickpeas and tahini more in this recipe than in my previous hummus, and you can taste the jalapeno without it overwhelming you with spice, which is kind of what I was looking for today.  Generally I love funky, outside the box foods, but sometimes I really want simpler, more traditional flavors.  This totally fit the bill.

Recipe after the jump!

Hummus

15 1/2 oz. can chickpeas, drained

1/4 cup tahini (optional)

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 jalapeno, cut in half and seeds removed

1/2 tbsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (if your jalapeno is hot, use less)

Juice of 1 lemon, plus more as needed

3 tbsp water

3 tbsp evoo, plus additional for drizzling

s&p (to taste)

1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

1/2 tbsp parsley, minced

2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted

Put chickpeas, tahini, garlic, jalapeno, cumin, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, water in a food processor and begin to process.   Stream in evoo until mixture becomes creamy and smooth.   Season to taste with s&p.  Add chopped parsley and process to combine.  

Drizzle hummus with the olive oil and sprinkle with a bit more cumin or cayenne (if desired).  Top with minced parsley and pine nuts.

Serve with pita.