Black beluga lentil hummus w/ roasted fennel + garlic | dolly and oatmeal

me and frank generally wake up super early - he likes to get the gym before it turns into a madhouse, and i basically like to get up with the stars, the earlier the better, most times. i'm not a big gym person, something about the fluorescent lights, music blaring, metal machines, and various personalities makes me want to scratch my eyes out first thing in the morning. but this also could have to do with the fact that i'm also very much a me person; i like alone time, personal space, and proper chill time all by my lonesome. so, my early mornings are centered around my yoga mat, our bedroom window, the morning stars, and the first bits of light that appear on the horizon.

because frank is the most easy going, go-with-the-flow dude i've ever known, we tend to do things that i want to do or that i like. the only things he gets super opinionated about are the movies we go see and in what format, and technology in general. almost everything else is up for grabs. so usually the conversations surrounding most weekends are: me: whatcha wanna to do this weekend? frank: whatever you want to do, babe. and mostly it's me mentioning some restaurant, or park i want to check out, or driving upstate to see trees. so when he told me, somewhat adamantly, that his home state's football team, the panthers, made it to the super bowl this year, and that he wanted to watch it, i was like, YESSS! yes, i would love watch it with you because you're the best, most patient soul there ever was! and i'm going to make you some hummus, too!

where do i even start with hummus? it's basically a food group in our house. i usually cook up some chickpeas, mung beans, etc., freeze half the portion and make hummus with the remaining bit so that i have easy access to preparing it later on. while i love chickpea hummus, it hasn't been loving me back lately - no matter how much i soak them for or how much baking soda i add. so, heidi's mung bean hummus is my go-to since they're a lot more digestible. but a few weeks ago i had some leftover black lentils, a hankering for hummus, and an empty freezer with zero frozen beans/legumes! in went the lentils. i was surprised by how tasty and creamy they became when blended up with usual hummus suspects. it made me want to try it with some other flavors to jazz it up. i love fennel, especially when it's roasted - that caramelization is just so good. and even better when providing some elemental flavor to this solid hummus. :)

winter xo's and.... go panthers!!!

black beluga lentil hummus w/ roasted fennel + garlic | v + gf

if you don't have black lentils on hand, i imagine that any lentil would prove to work just as well here (red lentils might have a thicker and creamier outcome), or feel free to use chickpeas, or another bean of choice.

| serves 4-6 |

1/2 cup black beluga lentils, soaked and rinsed
1 large fennel bulb, fronds reserved
4 cloves garlic, skins on
1 tablespoon olive oil, more for serving
salt + fresh pepper
1/2 cup tahini paste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2-3/4 cup water

toppings:

crispy lentils
fennel fronds
chopped parsley
olive oil
flaky sea salt

method

preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
place the drained lentils in a small saucepan, and cover them with about 2 inches of water. place over high heat, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer; cook for 15-20 minutes, until tender. remove the lentils from the stovetop and drain off any remaining water, set aside and allow to cool.
cut the fennel in half, then in fourths; cut core through the bottom and discard. slice the 4 pieces in half. place the fennel pieces and garlic cloves on the parchment, drizzle the oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper; use the paper to toss it all together. roast until edges of the fennel are sufficiently caramelized and garlic is tender, about 25-3o minutes. once cool, peel the skins from the garlic, discard, and set aside.
in an upright blender or food processor, add the lentils (reserve a handful for serving), fennel, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few cracks pepper. blend a bit, then add the water and blend on high until for about 1 minute, until the hummus is smooth and creamy. refrigerate for at least 2 hours, then serve with crackers, bread, vegetable spears, or whatever you prefer.

enjoy!