Shortcut hummus: Party prep like a rock star chef

Even James Beard Award winning-chefs take party-prep shortcuts when hosting.

Alon Shaya graciously shares dishes from his homeland in Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel and keeps it real by including two versions of his signature hummus.

Shaya not only encourages replicating his restaurant hummus at home, but he saves us that “soak overnight” step, and says there’s no shame in making it with canned chickpeas!

"Though I prefer to make hummus with dried chickpeas, this is how I make hummus in a pinch. It makes a lot of hummus, so it's a great dish for a party." - Alon Shaya

Shaya’s Shortcut Hummus

Homemade hummus puts the store-bought stuff to shame and saying it’s Alon Shaya’s own is sure to strike conversation around the food table.

Ingredients

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas
1 1/2 quarts plus 2 tablespoons water divided, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons raw tahini
1 1/2 teaspoons Morton kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

Drain the chickpeas, and rinse them well. Gently—since they’re already soft—massage them in your hands to loosen the skins so that they slip off during cooking.
Add the chickpeas (skins and all) to a pot with 1 1/2 quarts water. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. With a slotted spoon or small sieve, periodically skim away any of the sounds that floated to the top over the course of 10 to 15 minutes. The more time you take here, the smoother the results will be.
Meanwhile, combine the lemon juice and garlic, and let them steep for at least 30 minutes. Fish out the garlic before proceeding.
Drain the chickpeas, and combine in a food processor with the garlic-infused lemon juice, 6 tablespoons water, olive oil, canola oil, tahini, salt and cumin. Process for at least 5 minutes, until the hummus is very smooth and light.
Serve at room temperature, drizzled with more olive oil if you like.

For a copy of Shaya’s cookbook, order from Saba or visit the restaurant at 5757 Magazine Street.

shortcut hummus

It's what Chef Alon Shaya would do

Even James Beard Award winning-chefs take party-prep shortcuts when hosting.