Roasted Garlic, Artichoke and White Bean Spread

asted Garlic, Artichoke and White Bean Spread

This is definitely a make-ahead spread.  It's great if you know you have guests coming the next weekend and you want to make a dip.  You can do a little bit every day, then finish it the morning they arrive. 

I enjoy it with some homemade sourdough bread - but it's also fabulous with chips.  The roasted garlic gives it an incredible flavor, and by processing the beans as described below, you don't have any unwanted "beany" flavor/ordor or side effects. 

Ingredients:

• ½ lb white navy beans
  
• ½ cup marinated artichoke hearts 
  
• 6 cloves garlic, roasted
  
• ¼ cup olive oil
  
• 5 basil leaves
  
• 2 teaspoons salt
  

Day 1-2

• Soak the beans in 3x the volume of water for two days. Change the water twice a day.  You can tell they are ready when they beans are no longer wrinkled and have plumped up again.
  

Day 3

• Drain the beans, but don’t keep them uncovered for long. Put them into a pot and add enough water to cover completely.
  
• Bring the beans and bring them to a boil over high heat and boil for 1 minute. 
  
• Drop the heat to a simmer, and let it cook for 5 minutes on low heat, skimming the foam off the top.
  
• The beans are done when they are soft but not mushy.
  
• Drain them and rinse them in cold water. 
  
• Put the beans with a little bit of water (enough to make the processor work) into a food processor and pulse until completely smooth. 
  
•  Let them cool completely (I stick them in the fridge overnight).
  

Day 4

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  
  
• Trim and peel garlic cloves, then wrap them in foil 
  
• Bake them for 15-20 minutes until they start to take on color. 
  
• Add them to the food processor along with the marinated artichoke hearts and the ground beans. 
  
• Pulse with salt and the olive oil.
  
• Then process, adding the basil, and more olive oil if needed, until smooth.
  

Roasted Garlic, Artichoke and White Bean Spread On Homemade Sourdough Bread.