Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [28]
Variations: Omit the hot red pepper sauce and add 1 small canned chipotle in adobo, stemmed and seeded, with the garlic cloves.
Substitute ¼ cup minced red onion for the shallot.
Substitute lemon juice for the lime juice.
Margarita Guacamole: Add 2 tablespoons high-quality tequila with the garlic, kosher salt, and pepper as you make the paste. Also add 2 teaspoons grated orange zest with the lime juice.
Black Bean Dip
Always rinse canned beans to rid them of the slippery residue left over from the canning process. We’ve added vinegar and orange zest for a flavorful kick. Makes about 2 cups
1¾ cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped
1 canned chipotle in adobo, stemmed (see Note)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
Food processor method:
Place all the ingredients in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade; pulse until coarsely chopped, then process until fairly smooth.
Hand-ground method:
Place the beans in a large bowl and mash with a pastry cutter or a fork; finely chop the bell pepper and chipotle and add them to the mixture. Use the pastry cutter or fork to mash in the remaining ingredients.
To store: Transfer to a nonreactive bowl, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Note: Seed the chipotle for a milder dip.
Variations: Substitute 1 fresh jalapeño chile, seeded, or 2 serrano chiles, seeded, for the chipotle in adobo.
Substitute 1 small red onion, roughly chopped, for the bell pepper.
Substitute walnut oil for the olive oil and add ¼ cup chopped toasted walnut pieces with the black beans.
White Bean and Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
This chunky Italian bean dip is often served on Tomato Bruschetta. It’s also a good sandwich spread, a mayonnaise substitute. Working by hand will produce a chunkier spread—more traditional but also more work. Makes about 2 cups
12/3 cups canned cannellini or Great Northern white beans, drained and rinsed
12 pitted black olives, roughly chopped
4 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Food processor method:
Place all the ingredients in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade; pulse just until combined, then process just until chunky.
Hand-ground method:
First, mince the anchovy fillets. Then place them and the beans in a bowl; mash with a pastry cutter or two forks. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
To store: Transfer to a nonreactive bowl, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Variations: Stir 2 chopped Roma or plum tomatoes into the finished dip.
Add 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary leaves and/ or 2 teaspoons stemmed thyme with the parsley.
Substitute red pepper flakes for the pepper.
* * *
Want breadsticks for the coffee table?.
* * *
Aïoli with Crudités
This Provençal mayonnaise is best as a dip for raw vegetables, although you can use it as a spread for sandwiches, a sauce with grilled fish, or a substitute for tartar sauce with fried seafood. We prefer light and healthy almond oil, but you can use olive oil for a more traditional taste. Crudités (crew-dee-TAY) is just French for cut-up vegetables. Makes about 1 cup
2 large egg yolks.
2 to 3 anchovy fillets
2 garlic cloves, quartered
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¾ cup almond oil or extra virgin olive oil
Thick cucumber rounds, celery ribs, baby carrots, cauliflower florets, and other raw vegetables for dipping
Place the egg yolks, anchovy fillets, garlic, lemon juice, and cayenne in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade or in a large blender. Pulse or blend a few times until the anchovies are