We’ve been feeding a wide variety of visitors here at the castle this spring! Our latest group includes a fascinating group of foodies with a myriad of dietary preferences, including omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans. Most hosts would find it difficult to feed such a range. I am embracing the challenge!
With the help of Our Little Sous, we have been having a blast creating something that absolutely everyone loves. In the video below, he demonstrates how we like to make a delicious dip with beans and vegetables that’s both colorful and inviting! Come join us and learn how we like to PLAY with Our Food!!!
Many Middle Eastern dips such as hummus and baba ganoush are traditionally made with tan or brown ingredients like beans, tahini, and roasted eggplant. Here, we simply blended in some other bright and colorful vegetables to add variety in flavor and the vibrant pop of color that makes them even more inviting.
Want to change up the color? Switch out the spinach for roasted carrots, pumpkin, or red bell peppers! Like a stronger flavor? Add even more roasted garlic, or season your dip with spices like cumin, curry powder, or red pepper flakes. Looking for even more textural variety? Try leaving some of the ingredients roughly chopped instead of pureeing them into a smooth paste. Or you could even change up the variety of beans, the type of oil, or the type of acid in your dip!
What if you don’t have a stick blender like Our Little Sous uses in the video? That’s OK! You can drop everything in a food processor or a blender. Want to try things the old-fashioned way? Break out a large mixing bowl and mash everything together with a wire whisk, a rotating hand mixer, a potato masher, or even a fork. Looking to use a little more elbow grease to create your dip? Soften your ingredients in a saute pan and go to town with a mortar and pestle.
This dip is wonderful warm or cold in winter, spring, summer, AND fall! The possibilities are infinite. Add a little more (or a lot more) of your family’s favorite ingredient, and watch your loved ones devour this delicious dip as quickly as our new friends have here in Italy!
Spinach Bean Dip
Ingredients (as shown in video):
500 g cannellini beans
1 large bunch of spinach, sauteed, squeezed to drain, and chopped
3 cloves (or MORE, to taste) of garlic confit
1/4 to 1/2 cup garlic olive oil
lemon juice (to taste)
salt (to taste)
Directions: Combine spinach, beans, garlic, and 1/4 cup of oil in a large mixing bowl. Blend with a stick blender until smooth the texture is smooth and all ingredients are evenly incorporated. Add more oil and/or water as necessary to reach desired consistency. Stir in lemon juice and salt a little at a time, tasting frequently. Drizzle with additional oil and optional seasonings to finish and serve.
How will you make it your own? Come join our #PLAYwithYourFood Community, and add your suggestions and favorites to the conversation!