Herby Butter Bean Dip Food

LEMON AND HERB WHITE BEAN DIP

Steps:

• To a food processor (or high-speed blender) add drained, rinsed white beans along with tahini, lemon zest and lemon juice (starting with lesser amounts of both), salt, garlic, and olive oil (reserve herbs for later).
• Blend until creamy, scraping down sides as needed - about 1 minute. If you prefer more texture, blend for less time. If you prefer silky smooth dip, blend for longer.
• Add chopped dill (or other herbs) and pulse again to combine.
• Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more garlic for zing, lemon zest or juice for brightness or acidity, salt to taste, olive oil for creaminess / floral notes, dill for more herbal notes, or tahini for nuttiness. We like pretty bold flavors, so we added the additional lemon zest and juice and a pinch more salt.
• Enjoy immediately, or refrigerate to chill, which allows the dip to thicken. Option to garnish with additional drizzle of olive oil, lemon zest, and fresh dill for serving. Serve with pita bread or chips, flatbread, crackers, or vegetables of choice.
• Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Not freezer friendly.

BUTTER BEAN MASH

Steps:

• Gently fry the onion, garlic and rosemary in the oil until the onions are soft and cooked through.
• Add the butter beans to the pan, stir and heat through.
• Drizzle with lemon juice and stir in the zest.
• Mash the beans manually. Alternatively, pour half the mixture into a food processor and blend until smooth, stirring in the remaining butterbean mixture.
• Serve immediately.

HERBY CHICKEN & BUTTER BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• If using a leftover chicken carcass, place in a large saucepan and cover with 2 litres of water. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and gently simmer for 20 mins. Meanwhile, heat the oil in another large saucepan. If using chicken thighs, add these and brown on all sides, then remove and set aside.
• Add the onions to the oil and cook for 10 mins until starting to caramelise. Add the carrots, herbs, spices and flour, and stir for 1-2 mins to toast the spices. If using a chicken carcass, strain the cooking liquid into the pan with the vegetables, otherwise add the browned chicken thighs and stock. Stir well, cover and simmer for 30 mins.
• If using chicken thighs, remove them from the pan, shred the meat and discard the bones. Add the meat (or the meat from the carcass) back into the soup, along with the butter beans, season and heat through for 1-2 mins.
• Use a hand-held blender to blitz the soup until smooth, or leave it chunky. Or blend about half, so it's creamy but still has chunks of chicken, carrot and butter bean. Serve with extra pepper, and good crusty bread.