In my last post, I shared a recipe for gambas al ajillo inspired by my meal at Solea.  The other thing I was dying to try at home was Solea’s chickpea spread, which they bring at the beginning of the meal with a basket of crusty bread.  It’s really delicious!  I could tell it had chickpeas in it (plus, it was adorably garnished with one whole chickpea), but I couldn’t tell what made it so much richer, and so different from, hummus.

Luckily, our waiter didn’t mind telling us the other key ingredient–porcini mushrooms!  I had never cooked with them before, and they smelled really funky before they were reconstituted.  But, it was worth it.  I was rewarded with this hearty dip, which I think is just as good as what I had at Solea.

Ingredients (makes about 1 1/2 cups):

1 15 ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Juice of half a lemon, or to taste
Salt to taste
1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, plus more for serving
1/4 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
Paprika for serving, optional

Place the porcini mushrooms in a small bowl, and pour in very hot water to cover.  Let sit for 30 minutes.  Drain, reserving the soaking water, rinse, and pat dry.

Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat, and saute the mushrooms for about five minutes.

In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, lemon juice, salt, and mushrooms.  Turn the processor on and add the half cup of olive oil in a steady stream (you can use less oil and more mushroom water if you’d like).  If the spread seems too dry, add the mushroom soaking water a tablespoon at a time and process until smooth.

Taste for seasonings and adjust if needed.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with paprika, if desired.  Serve with crusty bread or vegetables for dipping.

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