Hummus

serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 cup cooked chickpeas (about 1/2 cup dried, or 1 x 400g tin)

juice of 1 large lemon

4 tbsp tahini

3 tbsp virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

salt and pepper

Method

1) Using a food processor, puree the cooked chickpeas with the lemon juice.  For a smoother hummus, press the chickpeas through a fine sieve.

2) Add the tahini paste, the olive oil, the garlic and seasoning.  Blend until smooth.  Taste, and add more lemon juice if desired.

3) Put in a serving dish and pour on a little more olive oil.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired, and serve as a dip for raw vegetables, or with pitta bread.

Simple Guacamole

I have no doubt that there is a 'proper' guacamole recipe out there.  Most of the official ones seem to contain chillis and be quite complicated and spicy affairs.  However, I am quite fond of a simpler garlicky-lemony flavour, and don't tend to add too much heat to mine. 

Avocados can be expensive, but they aren't too bad at the moment.  I found a large one in Lidl for about 80p.  Lidl is also currently selling 4 unwaxed lemons for about the same price, though you could use bottled lemon juice if that is cheaper and more available.

serves 4 as an accompaniment

Ingredients

1 large ripe avocado, or two small

juice of half a lemon

1 clove garlic, crushed

pinch of salt and pepper

dash tabasco sauce (optional)

1 large tomato, chopped (optional, but nice, and makes the guacamole go further)

Method

Cut avocado in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl.  Immediately mash with the lemon juice to stop discolouration.  Mix in garlic and seasoning, and then stir in the tomato.  

Serve in a sandwich, or as a dip.  (I ate mine with my falafels - fusion food!)

Ideally this should be served immediately, but I covered mine tightly with clingfilm, and it kept quite happily in the fridge for two days.