Steamed Broccoli with Hummus

Ingredients

• a 19-ounce can chick-peas
• rinsed and drained (about 2 cups)
• 3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini (sesame seed paste)*
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• minced and mashed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 to 6 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
• washed well
• spun dry
• and minced
• 1 pound broccoli
• tough ends of stems discarded
• *available at specialty foods shops and most supermarkets

Instructions

1. In a food processor puree chick-peas, tahini, lemon juice, oil, and garlic paste and, if a smoother texture is desired, force through a fine sieve into a bowl.
2. Whisk in enough water to reach a pourable but still thick consistency and stir in parsley and salt to taste.
3. Cut broccoli stems into spears about 5 inches long with flowerets 1 1/2 inches wide.
4. On a steamer rack set over boiling water steam broccoli, covered, until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.
5. Serve broccoli topped with hummus.