Are you planning your Superbowl party menu? Good – add this hummus to the spread. (Oh, I’m so punny!)
Look, hummus isn’t anything earth-shattering. I surmise it won’t be long before McDonalds is serving it up alongside their chicken nuggets, or something. But this hummus is special because it’s THE ONLY hummus I plan on ever making. (Dramatic, much?)
This hummus recipe is inspired by my favorite place to eat lunch in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD (yes, dramatic very much), Max’s Grille in Boca Raton, Florida. This place has the royal trifecta:
–outside seating
–great food
–great people watching
Awesome people watching, actually. I can skip my weekly dose of Bravo TV and Us magazine when I lunch here.
I can watch dogs in pink strollers roll by, Bentleys roll by, tweens dressed like Brittany Spears stroll by, mothers dressed like Brittany Spears stroll by. And grandmas dressed like. . . oh, nevermind. But a lot of them are on the prowl, so Ashton Kutcher better stay away.
I can see freshly bandaged noses and ladies who lunch while sharing with each other their face lift scars. Oh, and there’s palm trees and sunshine, too.
All this, while I shove forkful after forkful of their complimentary hummus into my pie hole, intermittently wiping it from my chin and out of my hair. It’s an unbelievably sexy picture. I call it my anti-rape look.
Each time Mr Hausfrau and I lunch there, this is the scene:
Me: (while thinly spreading the hummus on a plate and peering closely at it) I really need to figure out what’s in here. I really need to make this at home. What do you think is in here? Do you think that’s parsley or cilantro? I really need to make this. I really need to figure this out. I wonder if they’ll tell me? Is that tomato? Is that parsley? I think they use sesame oil, don’t you? Or is it extra tahini? What do you think? Do you like it? Should I make it at home? Are you staring at that girl’s bubbies? Are you listening to me?
Mr. Hausfrau: Sure, whatever makes you happy.
That Mr. Hausfrau sure is a trooper. Kudos to him for knowing the difference between cilantro and parsley.
After several at-home attempts at Max’s magical hummus, I think I finally nailed it. It’s a relief to know that I can enjoy this at home, in my pajamas, on the couch, and a dog cuddled at each hip. It’s certainly not as glamorous as the real thing, but who needs glamour when you have obedient animals to lick hummus smudges off your knee?
Hummus a la Max’s
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
6 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon roasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes (oil packed), diced
Pulse the chickpeas, lemon jucie, water and salt in food processor until mostly ground. Scrape down the bowl and add the olive and sesame oils. Process until the mixture is totally smooth and creamy.
Transfer the hummus to a bowl and fold in the parsley and sundried tomoatoes. Refrigerate 1 hour, allowing the hummus to thicken and the flavors to combine.
Your description of your conversation with your hubby literally made me laugh out loud. Maybe because it reminds me so much of my conversations with my boyfriend. Hummus looks delicious! Yum!
That hummus looks wonderful!
I love hummus! ^^ This looks so delicious and healthy – great for a snack!
I used to live in west palm beach and have been to Max’s in Boca MANY times! Now I’m trying to remember this hummus. I can’t believe it doesn’t stick out in my head but the distracting people watching might have something to do with that. Boca is “interesting”…;)
Love the healthy idea for a delicious game day snack! Keep em comin!