Pureed White Beans with Fresh Herbs

Sorry, I don't know why I'm taking blurry pictures lately!

This is from when I made it another time using other herbs. I used only 1 teaspoon each of margarine and oil then and less liquid, so it was chunkier than the version I made this past weekend.

• 1 tablespoon margarine (I used 1/2 tablespoon of vegan margarine)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (I used 1/2 tablespoon)
• 1 leek or a bunch of green onions or one regular onion, chopped (I used 3 leeks)
• 1 cup mixed mild herbs, like parsley, cilantro, mint, basil, or chervil (I used parsley only and used 2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, tarragon, or thyme (I omitted and used fresh parsley only)
• 3 cups cooked or canned cannellini, navy, or other white beans, drained, liquid reserved (I cooked my own beans)
• Bean-cooking liquid, vegetable stock, or water (I used veg broth)
• Salt and black pepper

1. Put the Earth Balance and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped herbs and cook a minute or 2 more.
2. If you want the mixture super-smooth, transfer it--along with the beans--to a food processor or blender and process, adding as much liquid as you need to make a smooth but not watery puree. (This is what I did. I used about 1 tablespoon of broth.) If you want a lumpier texture, mash the beans in the pan with a fork, adding liquid slowly to get them as soupy as you like.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve warm or room temperature.

Labels: recipe