Rosemary-Lemon White Bean Dip

One of the perks of working at a cooking school is getting free food once in a while. Usually it's already been cooked by the chef students, but yesterday there were white beans leftover from a class (that couldn't be put back because they were already soaked). So when someone offered to give them to me, I made this dip. It's simple, but the lemon zest and rosemary make it anything but boring.

ROSEMARY-LEMON WHITE BEAN DIP

Yield: 2 cups

2 cups cooked* white beans (such as cannellini), drained but moist

1 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

grated zest of 2 lemons

1.      Put the beans in the container of a food processor with 1 clove garlic and a healthy pinch of salt. Turn the machine on, and add the 1/4 cup olive oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until the mixture is smooth. Taste, and add more garlic if you like; then, puree the mixture again.

2.      Place the mixture in a bowl, and use a wooden spoon to beat in the rosemary, lemon zest and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Taste, and add more salt and pepper as needed.

3.      Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days.

from Mark Bittman, The New York Times

*HOW TO COOK BEANS:
1.      Soak beans overnight in enough water to cover by 3-4 inches.
2.      Drain and rinse soaked beans.
3.      In a heavy pot, cover beans with a few inches of fresh water and bring to a boil.
      Simmer, covered, until the beans are tender (about 1 to 1 ½ hours). 

cooked beans in food processor with garlic and salt

If you don't have time to soak/cook the
beans, you can always used canned.

pouring in the olive oil

pureed white beans

fresh rosemary

lemon zest

everything in a bowl

rosemary lemon white bean dip

In addition to dipping crackers or vegetables
in it, you can also use it as a sandwich spread.

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