White Bean Puree

One day we had lunch in a little restaurant in the warehouse district of New Orleans. The restaurant did not survive Katrina but our memories did. The chef gave me his recipe for this divine puree which graced our table along with some toasted pita breads instead of the typical French bread and butter. I serve it all the time with crudités and chips. Great! *Cooking time does not reflect 4 hours pre-soaking.

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 1  lb white beans, rinsed and soaked 4 hours
• 1  carrot, small dice
• 1⁄2 onion, small dice
• 1  celery rib, small dice
• 6  sprigs fresh thyme, tied in a bundle
• 2  tablespoons garlic, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup roasted garlic
• 1  cup olive oil
• 2  ounces fresh lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons dried thyme
•  kosher salt
•  fresh cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Combine 1st 6 ingredients in a saucepot and cover with water.
2. Simmer until beans are tender.
3. Strain and remove thyme bundle.
4. Put beans into a food processor with roasted garlic, lemon juice and dried thyme.
5. Process and slowly add olive oil until thoroughly combined.
6. If mixture is too thick, add a little water or chicken stock.
7. Season with salt and pepper.