Cathy Katin-Grazzini
Cathy's Kitchen Prescription LLC
www.cathyskitchenprescription.com
Three Bean Purées
This is one of my favorite appetizers whenever friends pop over. Bean purées are so versatile, delicious, and nutrient dense. They are packed with fiber, protein, an array of nutrients, low in fat, and full-flavored. Served here as dips for a gorgeous platter of crudité, but they also make superb, nutritious spreads in sandwiches, on crisps and crackers, or mounded atop salad or steamed greens. Have fun using aromatics, citrus, herbs, spices, and ground chilies to add pizzazz.
If you have the time, use dry beans instead of canned, so you can infuse them with garlic and herbs for added flavor. Bean purées will keep in the fridge for 5 to 6 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Prep time 20 to 60 minutes to cook dried beans or lentils and to roast garlic, plus 15 minutes
Cook time 0
Makes about 2 ½ to 3 cups of each variety
Mexican Black Bean Purée
1 cup dry black beans or two 15-oz no-sodium cans, rinsed well
2 tablespoons of dried epazote, only if cooking dry beans
2 cloves garlic, only if cooking dry beans
1/2 head roasted garlic, peeled
½ jalapeno or ½ teaspoon freshly ground dried chipotle chiles, or to taste
1/3 teaspoon freshly grounded cumin seed, or to taste
½ teaspoon Mexican oregano or to taste
Juice and zest of ½ organic lime
Small handful of cilantro leaves and stems
1-2 teaspoons red (aka) miso paste
Garnish with chile flakes, lime zest, and/or sliced scallion
Hint: Too much cumin can render the dip bitter, so go lightly and taste.
To cook the dry beans, rinse and add to a saucepan. Cover with water by 2 inches. and boil for 2 minutes, then cover, remove from heat, and steep until the beans swell and sink. Drain, refill with water, toss in the epazote and raw garlic, and simmer until tender but intact, in 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the age of the beans. Drain and reserve cooking water. If using canned beans, simply rinse and drain.
To roast the garlic, remove loose, papery outer layers, leave the head intact, roast for 30 minutes in a 375°F oven. When cool enough to handle, peel.
Use a coffee or spice grinder to separately grind the cumin seed, and chipotle, if using.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and run. Add only enough of the cooking water to facilitate blending and to create a smooth, creamy, dense dip. Taste and correct seasonings as you like. Serve warm and garnish.
Indian Red Lentil Purée
1 cup red lentils or masoor dal, rinsed
1 Indian bay leaf
1clove garlic
1/2 head roasted garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon garam masala spice blend
Small pinch saffron
Juice and zest of ½ organic lemon
Pinch of ground white pepper
1/2 red Thai chili or a dash of cayenne
2 teaspoons shiro (mild, light) miso paste
Garnish with lemon zest, crushed dry curry leaves, and/or chopped cilantro
To cook the lentils, rinse and add to a saucepan. Cover with water by 1 inch, toss in the bay leaf and raw garlic, simmer on low until the lentils begin to dissolve, in about 20 minutes. Pour off but reserve any surface liquid.
To roast garlic, see instruction above.
Place the saffron in a small bowl and add 1 teaspoon of hot water. Steep for 10 minutes before combining the saffron "tea" with the other ingredients.
To dry fresh curry leaves, pop in a 100F oven or dry in a dehydrator on 105F until they are crisp but not toasted, in 3 to 4 hours.
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and run. Add a little cooking water only if required to blend into a creamy, dense but smooth purée. Tast and correct seasonings as desired. Serve warm and garnish.
Italian White Bean Purée
1 cup white beans, canary beans, or chickpeas or two 15-oz no-sodium cans, rinsed
Sprigs of fresh rosemary and sage, only if cooking dry beans
2 cloves garlic, peeled, only if cooking dry beans
1/2 head roasted garlic, peeled
2-3 tablespoons of fresh rosemary, sage, thyme, leaves only, finely chopped
or 1-1½ teaspoons dried Italian herb blend or herbes de Provence
Several fresh grinds of black or white peppercorns
2 teaspoons shiro (mild light) miso or to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Garnish with chopped chives or a sprinkling of fresh thyme leaves.
To cook beans, rinse and add to a saucepan. Cover with water by two inches and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep until the beans swell and sink. Drain and refill with water. Toss in the fresh herb sprigs, tied with string or thread, or gathered in cheesecloth. Simmer on very low for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the age of the beans, until tender but intact. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. If using canned beans, simply rinse and drain.
Add all the ingredients to a food processor. Blend until smooth, adding only as much cooking water as required to blend into a smooth, creamy, dense purée. Taste and correct seasonings as you like. Serve warm and garnish.
If the purées dry out and lose their creaminess upon cooling or after refrigeration, simply stir in a spoonful of water.
