ROASTED GARLIC HUMMUS

Prep Time: 1½ Hours
Yields: 6–8 Servings

Comment: 
The Spanish arrived in Louisiana in the 1760s and brought many great flavors to our shores. Garbanzo or chickpeas, hot peppers and garlic are only three of their many gifts. With the football season right around the corner, this is a great hors d'oeuvre for the big game compliments of the Spanish.
 
Ingredients:
2 whole heads of roasted garlic
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and divided
6 tbsps olive oil, divided
1 tsp salt, divided
3 tbsps lemon juice
¼ cup water
6 tbsps Joyva® or Krinos® tahini
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp cayenne
¼ cup minced cilantro

Method:
To roast garlic, preheat oven to 400°F. Slice ½ inch from the top of the garlic to expose pods. Place garlic in the center of a 6” x 6” piece of aluminum foil, top with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and ½ teaspoon of salt. Wrap tightly in foil, place on a baking sheet and roast 1–1½ hours or until garlic is soft. Remove from oven and cool. Squeeze the roasted head firmly to remove all of the roasted garlic and set aside, discarding peels. In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and water and set aside. In a separate glass bowl, whisk together tahini and 3 tablespoons of olive oil then set aside. Reserve ¼ cup of whole chickpeas for garnish. In the bowl of a food processor, add remaining chickpeas, roasted garlic, cumin, cayenne and remaining salt then process 15–20 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the processor and blend 1 additional minute. With the processor running, add lemon and water mixture through the feeder tube in a slow, steady stream until well blended. Add tahini and oil mixture in the same fashion and process 15–20 seconds or until well combined. Add cilantro and pulse 2 seconds, but do not purée. Transfer mixture to a decorative bowl, drizzle with remaining olive oil and top with reserved whole chickpeas. Serve hummus as a dipping sauce with warm pita bread, chips or grilled shrimp.