Wine Food Pairing - Hmmmmm .... Hummus!

Wine Food Pairing ........Hmmmmm........ What about Hummus?

With all the holiday entertaining behind us, let's look forward to some new tasty treats to surprise our guests. How about Hummus?

Hummus is one of the oldest foods dating back to over 7,000 years ago in ancient Egypt. Made with chickpeas, sometimes called garbanzo beans, it is processed into a dip or spread and it is super simple to whip up and has a lot of nutrients to boot!

My very "fave" is roasted red pepper hummus. I put my chickpeas into the food processor along with a bit of good olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a dollop of tahini (toasted sesame seed paste)....then I blend until smooth. To this I add a goodly amount of roasted red peppers and a couple of cloves of crushed garlic. Give this another quick zip in the processor, but leave it so it is a bit chunky, then spoon it into a serving bowl and garnish with a few more red peppers. This can be made up to two days ahead of time and kept tightly sealed in the refrigerator until your guests arrive.

The hummus can be served cold, my favorite, or warm (just pop into the microwave to take the chill off). Place the bowl on a large serving platter and surround with toasted pita bread. You'll have everyone asking for the recipe.

I usually like to pair this with a dry, sparkling wine. One of my favorites (and economical, too), is Cristalino Cava Brut from Spain. This clean tasting bubbly with lingering citrus qualities will certainly have your guests humming for more hummus!

Hmmm ... wine food pairing ...sometimes an adventure, but always fun! CHEERS!

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