Garlicky Basil Spread

Derf's Note:

This is so good!! Serve on crackers or on celery pieces, for an appy or as a condiment with meats, or make a toasted crostini of it, topped with parmesan cheese.

• Total Time: 22 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 7 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 2 cups

• 1 head garlic
• 1 (19 ounce) can white kidney beans , drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 teaspoons white wine vinegar or 4 teaspoons cider vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1⁄8;-¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ cup fresh basil , chopped

Directions:

1. separate and peel cloves of garlic.
2. In saucepan of boiling water, blanch garlic for 1 minute, drain (or if preferred, roast garlic).
3. In food processor or blender or bowl, and using a fork, mash garlic, beans, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper until smooth.
4. Stir in basil.

Reviews

[GinnyP]

This is so delicious! Mere words don't do it justice! I've been buying hummus and other dip/spreads pre-made. This was just so easy and so very fresh tasting! I think roasting the garlic is the way to go, and if blanching, blanch for more than one minute (3? perhaps). And (confession time) I added 4 T of white wine vinegar instead of 4 tsp by mistake. No problem, thankfully. : ) I also packed my 1/4 cup full of basil and went for the full 1/4 tsp cayenne. Thank you for another keeper! It's a great one to make for last minute guests, too. It all fit in my mini-prep (another plus, easy clean-up). lol Thanks, Dorothy!

[Sarabbismama]

Made this for a dinner party. I toasted french bread, put the spread on top and topped with parmesan cheese, then put them under the broiler until the cheese was melted. They disappeared!

[karen in tbay]

Yummy, quick and easy! I roasted the garlic, used 2 tsp lemon juice and 2 tsp white wine vgr, upped the salt abit and no cayenne so used 1/4 tsp chili powder. Finally used the mezzaluna for the first time - great for chopping fresh herbs. No wonder it was thick to mix in my magic bullet, I forgot the olive oil but I did add equal amts of oil and water til the chopper could do its job. Nice change from the usual hummus.