Restaurant-Style Hummus

I've attempted hummus many a time, and I've gotten it to taste pretty good before. What I could never quite figure out was how to get the consistency right. I could never get my hummus creamy like the Sabra hummus that I could eat by the gallon.

Hail Cooks Illustrated!

Cooks Illustrated had a recipe for restaurant-style hummus, accompanied by a two-page article explaining the science of how to get hummus creamy--something about emulsions and other science talk I really didn't understand. One of the great things about this particular recipe is that it requires the same general ingredients as any other hummus recipe. It's the instructions that make all the difference.

Restaurant-style Hummus, from Cooks Illustrated May/June 2008:

Ingredients (makes about 2 cups)

• 3 tablespoons juice from 1 to 2 lemons
• 1/4 cup water
• 6 tablespoons tahini, stirred well
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 small garlic clove, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1/2 teaspoon)
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Pinch cayenne
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or parsley leaves

Directions
1. Combine lemon juice and water in small bowl or measuring cup. Whisk together tahini and 2 tablespoons oil in second small bowl or measuring cup. Set aside 2 tablespoons chickpeas for garnish.

2. Process remaining chickpeas, garlic, salt, cumin, and cayenne in food processor until almost fully ground, about 15 seconds. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. With machine running, add lemon juice/water mixture in steady stream through feed tube. Scrape down bowl and continue to process for 1 minute. With machine running, add oil/tahini mixture in steady stream through feed tube; continue to process until hummus is smooth and creamy, about 15 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed.

3. Transfer hummus to serving bowl, sprinkle reserved chickpeas and cilantro over surface, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand until flavors meld, at least 30 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

It's good--so good that I ate the entire 2 cups within a day. Mmmmm, hummus. . .