Recipe: Spice Butternut Squash Hummus

Makes about 3 ½-4 cups

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup drained cooked or canned garbanzo beans

2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup tahini (sesame paste)

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

Garnishes: olive oil for drizzling, chopped parsley or cilantro, and pomegranate seeds

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Cut squash into 8 wedges. Brush with olive oil and place on a baking sheet that has been coated with cooking spray. Bake uncovered for 1 1/2 hours or until squash is very tender. The squash should brown a little. Let cool. Scrape out the cooked squash meat with a large metal spoon; discard the skins. You should have about 3 cups cooked squash meat. (You can prepare up to this point 2 days in advance and keep refrigerated.)

3. In a food processor, process the garbanzo beans until coarsely chopped (about 1 minute). Then add the roasted squash, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, coriander, cinnamon, salt, cayenne pepper, cilantro and process until smooth.

4. Serve hummus drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with parsley and garnished with fresh pomegranate seeds if desired.

Copyright 2010 by Kathy Casey Food Studios® Liquid Kitchen™ (www.kathycasey.com)