Hummus With Preserved Lemon

I have been on quite a rampage lately with preserved lemons. I cannot get enough of these citrusy-salty wonders that add an edge to any dish they adorn. I've poured through my recipe collection and prepared the lion's share of recipes that call for preserved lemons - mostly those recipes found in my Ottolenghi and Moroccan cookbooks. And now I find myself in a position of needing new recipes - those that will allow me to satisfy my preserved lemon fixation.   

How else can I use preserved lemons, I asked my friend Helen. And she, a fellow preserved lemon fanatic and avid home cook, responded with this link: http://www.eatingfromthegroundup.com/2012/02/what-to-do-with-preserved-lemons/. When I opened it I was delighted to find not only three appealing recipes calling for preserved lemons, but an impressive food blog {eating from the ground up} from Alana Chernila. 

I can't wait to try all three of Alana's recipes and up first is her hummus with preserved lemon. I have the market cornered on traditional hummus - between a recipe I make at home and the batches I pick up at the Venice farmer's market. But I imagined Alana's hummus recipe, which includes two unconventional ingredients - preserved lemon and white miso - would prove to be offbeat and exceptional. So with expectations high, I blended these two ingredients together in a food processor with tahini, garlic, olive oil, chickpeas and cayenne, as instructed. And after one taste of this creamy, slightly pungent dip with a flavor profile unique unto itself, I had to be honest with myself: this hummus is it. And if the amount of time it took us to consume the batch {with the blink of an eye} is any indication, I think it's safe to assume Mr. SSS felt the same way. I predict this recipe will become a staple in my household  and I couldn't wait to pass it along to you.

We enjoyed this delectable hummus three ways:

- with pita crisps (pita bread is good as well}

- with crudite of baby carrots, cucumber, red bell pepper and yellow bell pepper

- in a wrap: spooned onto lavash with Kalamata olives, feta cheese, spinach, carrots, cucumber, tomato and red pepper and rolled tightly.

Hummus With Preserved Lemon

1 preserved lemon, rinsed under cold water and chopped {rind and flesh}

1/2 c tahini

2 T white miso paste

2 garlic cloves, peeled {select large ones if you love garlic}

1/4 t cayenne pepper {I used more for garnish}

4 T olive oil

1 - 16 oz can chickpeas, drained, liquid set aside and reserved

Place all the ingredients plus just 4 T of the chickpea liquid in a blender or food processor.Blend until smooth and adjust the consistency if necessary by adding more chickpea liquid. I added an additional 3 or 4 T. With a rubber spatula, scrape down any chunks that are adhering to the sides of the blender and blend again. Continue to blend until you have a silky smooth dip. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with cayenne pepper {optional}. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator,

Source: eating from the ground up