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Epicurious

White Bean Hummus

In this hummus recipe, I use white Italian beans instead of chickpeas for a Mediterranean twist on the Middle Eastern classic. Luscious Garlic Confit (p. 193) infuses the dip with a sweet, rich flavor. This creamy, healthful puree is delicious with crudités, Seasoned Pita Crisps (p. 89), blue corn tortilla chips, or on a sandwich with grilled vegetables and (of course) hot sauce. White Bean Hummus can also partner with a few other items to create a beautiful antipasto platter. Just add, for example, roasted red pepper strips, marinated olives, and a few tablespoons of roasted garlic cloves. Don’t be surprised if this becomes one of your new (snacking and entertaining) staples.

Cooks' Note

For a pretty presentation, garnish this hummus with a sprig of fresh thyme or rosemary (which will echo the flavors in the confit), another drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and a sprinkling of red pepper.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes about 4 cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup (about 1/4 recipe) Garlic Confit (p. 193)
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (more or less, as desired)
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
2-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 or 2 tablespoons oil from Garlic Confit

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare Garlic Confit.

    Step 2

    Place the garlic clove, salt, and red pepper in the bowl of a food processor and process to a rough paste. Add the beans and pulse briefly. Add the Garlic Confit, tahini, water, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and confit oil and process until smooth. Taste, and add more salt, lemon, or vinegar as desired.

From Crescent City Cooking by Susan Spicer Copyright (c) 2007 by Susan Spicer Published by Knopf. Susan Spicer was born in Key West, Florida, and lived in Holland until the age of seven, when her family moved to New Orleans. She has lived there ever since, and is the owner of two restaurants, Bayona and Herbsaint. This is her first cookbook. Paula Disbrowe was the former Cowgirl Chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Prior to that, she spent ten years working as a food and travel writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur, among other major publications.
TagsDipCannellini BeanWhite BeanBean and LegumeVegetableTahiniSnackStarterDinnerLunchGluten FreeVeganVegetarianDairy FreeEasyQuickNo-CookFood ProcessorCookbooks
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