Hummus is one of my all-time favorite foods (I say that *a lot*, don't I?). It's something that I can eat on almost anything - raw veggies, sammiches, straight off my finger. I recently had a version with a great Southern twist at Wisteria, a great local restaurant here in Atlanta. Their version was made with pureed black eyed peas! It was so flavorful...but was still true to the taste of hummus.
The dish at Wisteria was served with sweet potato chips, which was a great combination. I devoured mine with Terra chips and some endive leaves. This is a recipe (thanks Chris for the recipe, btw!) that is very easy to adjust the texture on. If you want it more dippy than hummusy, either use less tahini or shorten the time in the food processor. It would be a great - not to mention EASY - dip to take for outdoor gatherings or BBQ picnics.
Black-Eyed Pea Hummus
2 cloves garlic
4 cups cooked black eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup tahini
In a food processor with the motor running, add the garlic. When chopped, add the black eyed peas, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. With the processor running, add tahini and process until all ingredients come together. Taste and adjust seasonings. If too thick, add additional lemon juice or oil.