This nutty bean purée is inspired by lobio, a marinated bean salad from the Georgian Republic.

　　

Ingredients

yields 3 cups

　　1 cup toasted walnuts

　　1 28-ounce can of red kidney beans (or 2 15-ounce cans), rinsed and drained

　　2 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed

　　5 scallions, chopped

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　2 tablespoons cider vinegar

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon black pepper

　　

Step 1

In the bowl of a food processor, grind the nuts until they make a smooth paste. Add the beans, garlic, about half of the scallions, the dill, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper and purée until quite smooth.

　　

Step 2

Serve at room temperature or chilled, in a bowl or on a bed of greens, topped with the remaining scallions. This purée can be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days. It loses a bit of its tang overnight, so add a little more vinegar to taste.

　　

Serving & menu ideas

Step 3

Some of us love Bean & Walnut Spread as part of a composed salad: Serve it on a bed of greens with hard-boiled eggs, Beet Salad (page 209), creamy Broccoli Slaw (page 208), and rye bread. And it’s a fine sandwich spread, with lettuce and tomatoes, or dressed up with roasted red peppers, hard-boiled eggs, or pickles. It’s an excellent snack or appetizer with crudités and/or crackers or bread.

　　From Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Table. Copyright © 2017 by Moosewood Collective. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. Buy the full book from ThriftBooks or Amazon.