Cannellini Bean Spread

*Post by Angela.

I'm watching the Super Bowl at my friends' place, one of whom is a vegetarian.  So I decided to bring one of my favorites, a cannellini bean spread from Steamy Kitchen.  It's fast and simple, and the resulting spread is luscious and satisfying.  For a vegetarian recipe, that is. 

List of ingredients:

• 8 tablespoons of good quality olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon parsley flakes (the original recipe uses fresh chopped parsley, but in the aftermath of Snowpocalypse 2, I made due with what I had)
• Sea salt to taste
• Black pepper, fresh-ground, to taste

 

I heated 8 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and heated on high heat just below the smoking point.  I took the pan off the heat and added in the minced garlic, making sure to stir so the garlic would not burn.  

 

 

I let the pan sit for about a minute, then added in the tomatoes and returned the pan to medium heat

 

 

I added the cannellini beans after about a minute and simmered the whole thing for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. I also added in a little salt and pepper. 

 

 

I took the pan off the heat, spooned the beans into the container I would be bringing the spread in to my friends.  I folded in the parsley flakes and let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes.  Then, using my glorious immersion blender, I pulse-blended until the spread took on a velvety consistency.  

See?  Super simple for the Super Bowl!  This is definitely one of my go-to recipes for any bash.