{quick & easy}
Ingredients:
• 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 170g jar marinated artichokes, drained
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve (optional)
Recipe:
Place beans, artichokes, lemon juice, garlic and oil in a blender or food processor and blend until thick. Check for seasoning (the marinated artichokes can be salty so you may not need extra salt). Store covered in the refrigerator.
To serve, return to room temperature and scatter with flat-leaf parsley.
TIPS/NOTES
Like most dips, this one is better if left in the fridge for a few hours before serving to allow the flavours to develop. If you prefer, you can soak and cook your own cannellini beans using about 200g of dried beans. You can also use other white beans, such as haricot or butter beans.
To cook your own cannelini beans (optional):
1. Pick over dried beans to remove any small stones or discoloured and shrivelled beans.
2. Rinse well under cold water
3. Soaking speeds up the cooking time. Leave some hours or even overnight.
4. After soaking, drain and place in a saucepan and cover with fresh water (3-4cm water above the beans). Bring to the boil, skim any scum from the surface, reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender (about 1 hour).
5. Only add salt after the beans are cooked or near the end of the cooking time.
6. Add bay leaves, herbs, onions or spices to the water when cooking, for extra flavour.
Note: You can reduce the soaking time by boiling the legumes for about 10 minutes before soaking, although this may split the skins.
Source: Vegetarian Bible (Penguin Books) p224
[ Last edited 17/10/2008 09:52pm ]
