CHEF RANDY’S LIFE OF SPICE Bessara, Party Pleasing

Randy Graham is a noted chef and writer and has been a lactoovo vegetarian for over 38 years. Chef Randy has written and published a series of seven cookbooks with original recipes developed over the period 1975 through 2020. He writes for the Ojai Quarterly, the Ojai Monthly, and the California 101 Travelers Guide. His vegetarian recipes are published in newspapers throughout Central California under the header, Chef Randy. He and his wife, Robin, live in Ojai, California, with their dog Cooper. Robin and Cooper are not vegetarians.

Traditional hummus is made with garbanzo beans and tahini. This Moroccan version, called bessara, substitutes fava beans for the garbanzo and tahini and is a little thinner than hummus. It is a staple in Tangier and other cities of northwest Morocco and is thought to have originated as part of Berber cuisine. If you like traditional hummus, you will like this, too.

INGREDIENTS: BESSARA

1.5 cups dried fava beans

2 cloves garlic

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons reserved cooking liquid

1 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon hot paprika

For garnish: cumin, sweet paprika, olive oil, and chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS:

Soak the dried fava beans overnight in a large bowl of water. The next day, drain the beans and peel them (if necessary). Place the fava beans in a pot and cover with a generous amount of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer the beans until tender (about one hour).

Drain the beans, reserving the liquid. Transfer beans to a food processor and add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, two tablespoons of the reserved liquid, and spices. Process on high speed until smooth, adding additional liquid if necessary to thin the bessara. It should be thin enough to pour or spread out on a plate. Taste the bessara, and adjust the seasoning if desired.

Garnish with any of the following: ground cumin, paprika, olive oil, and chopped parsley.

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