Herbed Bean Spread With Baguette Toasts Recipes

WHITE BEAN DIP WITH HERBS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add garlic, thyme and rosemary and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant and begins to soften.
• Add beans, olive oil and herbs, red wine vinegar and salt & pepper to a food processor. Blend on high until dip is smooth and creamy. Taste to adjust salt and pepper if needed.
• IF SERVING WARM: Pour dip into a bowl and top with a drizzle of olive oil and any additional optional toppings. Serve with toasted baguette slices.
• IF SERVING COLD: Pour dip into a bowl, cover and place in the fridge for at least an hour. Remove from the fridge when ready to use and top with a drizzle of olive oil and any additional optional toppings. Serve with fresh veggies and pita bread.

TUSCAN WHITE BEAN SPREAD

Steps:

• Combine beans, yogurt, Italian seasoning, and garlic in a blender and puree until smooth.
• Add remaining ingredients and pulse until combined. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.
• Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Serve at room temperature with toasted baguette or water crackers.

HERBED BEAN SPREAD WITH BAGUETTE TOASTS

Steps:

• Make toasts:
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Cut baguette crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. In a saucepan melt butter with salt to taste over moderate heat and brush butter on one side of each slice. Arrange baguette slices, buttered sides up, on 2 large baking sheets and toast in upper and middle thirds of oven until golden, about 12 minutes. (Toasts may be made 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container.)
• Make spread:
• Drain beans in a colander. Gently rinse beans and drain well. Mince parsley. In a food processor blend together all spread ingredients except oil until smooth. With motor running, add oil in a slow stream, blending until incorporated, and season spread with salt and pepper. (Spread may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring spread to room temperature before serving.)

MASHED FAVA BEAN TOASTS

Steps:

• Shuck the beans from their pods, discarding the pods.
• Blanch the beans: Drop shucked favas in boiling water for 1 minute, then plunge into ice water. When cool, drain in a colander, then pierce outer skin from each bean with thumbnail and squeeze to slip off skins. Discard skins and set peeled favas aside. (May be prepared up to 24 hours ahead of time.)
• Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add peeled favas and season generously with salt and pepper. Stir to coat with oil, add garlic, and let sizzle for a few minutes without browning. Add 1/2 cup water, cover and let simmer until beans have softened and most of the liquid is gone, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
• Using a potato masher or wooden spoon, mash favas roughly. (If favas are larger and starchier, they may have begun to fall apart already, which is fine.) Put pan back on stove and turn heat to medium. Stir in crushed red pepper and rosemary (and a little water if the mash is too thick), adjust seasoning, and transfer fava beans to a warm bowl.
• Lightly toast baguette slices. Smear each toast with a tablespoon or so of mashed fava. Drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt if desired.

HERB TOAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat; set aside. In a small bowl, combine parsley, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and oil.
• Spread bread slices with garlic, then brush with herb mixture. Place in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, and bake until crisp and edges are beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

CROSTINI D'EMILY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Slice the baguette crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices
• In a small bowl, stir together the butter, olive oil, and chopped garlic. Spread the butter mixture onto each slice of the bread. Place the slices onto a cookie sheet buttered side up.
• Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted, and hard.