Chipotle Hummus

Ingredients:
20 oz canned chickpeas
3 cloves garlic
4-5 chipotle chiles in adobo (with at least 1 teaspoon of a adobo)
juice of 1/2 lemon
3 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt to taste


Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat the chickpeas (in their liquid) until warm. Drain chickpeas, reserving liquid. Place chickpeas, tahini, chiles, garlic, garlic powder, cumin, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt into a blender or food processor. Blend on high until smooth, adding a few tablespoons of the reserved liquid to achieve a smooth texture. Sample and add more garlic, chiles, lemon or salt according to taste. Refrigerate overnight for best flavor.

My thoughts:

I had never made hummus with chipotle peppers before but I've been thinking about it for weeks and decided to just go for it. It is really spicy and there is a undercurrent of smoke that is a tempting variation on the standard hummus. I liked in on pita or with tortilla chips the most but it is also great as a dip with cut up vegetables. It is also easy to up or reduce the heat, just adjust the amount of peppers you use.