Check out the trendiest restaurants these days and you’ll see crocks of creamy bean purees where pats of butter once resided. Replacing butter with low-fat bean spreads has become terribly chic, yet Mediterraneans have been making aromatic blends of beans and other legumes for centuries.
The most famous of these, hummus, hit it big in America and has become a ubiquitous offering at parties and delis. But why limit yourself to chickpeas?
While exploring the Mediterranean, I discovered an array of luscious spreads, like the exotic split pea and dill from Greece, and the classic white bean and sage from Italy. These are the souvenirs of my travels: recipes that make giving up butter seem like pure indulgence.
LIMA BEAN SPREAD WITH CUMIN AND HERBS
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 2/3 cups
1 package (10 ounces) frozen lima beans
4 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon each, chopped: fresh mint, cilantro, fresh dill
1. Heat large saucepan of water to boil. Add lima beans, garlic, 1 teaspoon of the salt and crushed red pepper; cook until beans are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; let beans cool in the liquid.
2. Drain beans and garlic; transfer to a food processor. Add oil, lemon juice and cumin; puree until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Scrape into a bowl; stir in mint, cilantro and dill. (The spread will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.)
Nutrition information per tablespoon:
Calories …… 25 Fat ………… 1 g Cholesterol .. 0 mg
Sodium ….. 95 mg Carbohydrates .. 3 g Protein ……. 1 g
WHITE BEAN SPREAD WITH SAGE
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 1/2 cups
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (15 1/2 or 19 ounces) cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch ground red pepper
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1. With the side of a chef’s knife, mash garlic with salt. Transfer to a food processor. Add beans, oil, lemon juice, ground red pepper and black pepper; puree until smooth. Scrape into a bowl and stir in sage. The spread will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Nutrition information per tablespoon:
Calories …… 35 Fat ………… 1 g Cholesterol .. 0 mg
Sodium ….. 65 mg Carbohydrates .. 4 g Protein ……. 1 g
GREEK SPLIT PEA SPREAD
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Yield: 2 1/2 cups
1 cup dried yellow split peas, rinsed
6 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1. Combine split peas, garlic and water in a large saucepan. Heat to boil, skimming off any froth. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 30 minutes.
2. Uncover; simmer, stirring often, until mixture has cooked down to a thick puree, 10 to 20 minutes longer. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of the salt. Press plastic wrap on surface and let cool.
3. Transfer pea mixture to a food processor. Add lemon juice and oil; process until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Scrape into a bowl; stir in dill. The spread will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Sprinkle with green onions before serving.
Nutrition information per tablespoon:
Calories …… 20 Fat ………… 0 g Cholesterol .. 0 mg
Sodium ….. 55 mg Carbohydrates .. 3 g Protein ……. 1 g
