Food | Feeling Super Natural~ White Bean Dip with Rosemary and Toasted Almonds

If you live under a rock then you probably haven’t heard of Super Natural Every Day. Otherwise you would know that it is the latest book from Heidi Swanson- blog famous for her online tome 101 Cookbooks.

I remember when the book was in preorder and reading about the unpalpable excitement coursing through the blogosphere and then it was released- the internet blew up with recipes ripped straight from the pages. I was jealous. I wanted the book; but a new computer purchase tying up every spare dollar to my name meant that I had to wait. Sigh.

Sigh no more.

Quickly my Google reader began filling up with posts from Super Natural Everyday- Pita chips on Lara Ferroni’s blog, macaroon tarts made by Sweet Tartlette, white beans and cabbage on the Steamy Kitchen, white bean spread with rosemary and toasted almonds on the Travelers Lunchbox; and seriously so many more. I could take it no longer.



My desire for this book hit a fever pitch when we started brainstorming recipes for the summer menu at the restaurant where I work; immediately my mind wandered- “what out of Heidi’s cook book should I try?” Every single recipe I’d peeped looked amazing, but I ended up deciding on the white bean spread with rosemary and toasted almonds- a dip trio would be nowhere without a cannellini bean spread.

Honestly I knew I was going to love it before I even began- Heidi is just so damn good. With that said I did alter the recipe slightly; in Heidi’s rendition solely the rosemary/garlic oil, with the actually garlic and rosemary removed, goes into the mix; I decided to add the garlic, rosemary and oil sans draining- - what can I say, I’m a rebel- that likes garlic. In any event, it was phenomenal- creamy, garlic-y and rich- no doubt because of the almonds. I repeat- Heidi is damn good.



White Bean Spread with Rosemary and Toasted Almonds
Makes about 2 cups/500ml
Adapted from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Every Day

1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 cups (12oz/340g) cooked white beans, or 1 (15oz/425g) can, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup (70g) sliced almonds, toasted (I used whole natural almonds; they were great too)
sea salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more to taste
1/4 to 3/4 cup (60-180ml) hot water
grated zest of 1/2 lemon

In a small saucepan, combine the olive oil, rosemary and garlic. Over medium-low heat, slowly warm the mixture until the oil just barely starts to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes.

In a food processor, combine the beans, two-thirds of the almonds, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the lemon juice and two-thirds of the rosemary mixture. Pulse a couple of times to bring the ingredients together. Add the water 1/4 cup (60ml) at a time, pulsing all the while, until the mixture is the consistency of thick frosting. You might not need all the water; it really depends on how starchy your beans are and how thick you want your spread to be. Taste the mixture and add more salt and/or lemon juice to taste.

Scoop the beans into a small serving dish and make a few indentations in the top. Sprinkle with the lemon zest and the remaining almonds and drizzle with the remaining rosemary oil. Serve at room temperature.