Although I am generally skeptical of celebrity tv chefs who don't operate their own restaurants, as you know from reading this blog, almost everything I make from one of Giada de Laurentiis's cookbooks turns out so well that I end up making it more than one time (notably the Pecorino Crackers, Quick Rise Pizza Dough, and Lemon Ricotta Cookies). My recent attempt at her White Bean Dip followed this trend, with me making it twice in one week!
I initially googled for a simply white bean dip recipe that would dispose of the can of cannellini beans that I initially purchased for the Alice Waters Minestrone. I think the Giada recipe was the first to pop up, and I ended up settling on it because it called for parsley, which I have in abundance in the freezer, and fresh lemon juice, which I also had in the fridge. Per the recommendations in the comments on the recipe page, I ended up decreasing the amount of olive oil to a few tablespoons, decreasing the amount of lemon juice and just seasoning to taste, and adding in several shakes of red pepper flakes to boost the flavor. I also increased the amount of fresh garlic in my first run to 4 cloves, but the result was definitely too powerful — the second time, I used the original amount called for in the recipe. I think I may end up roasting the garlic on the stovetop before I next make the dip because I think the flavor may be even more balanced that way (even with the reduced garlic the second time, the raw flavor definitely lingered a little too unpleasantly — and I love garlic!). If you are looking for a healthy dip for your next home movie night or even summer barbecue, definitely give this recipe a try! Also, did I mention that it takes only 5 minutes to prepare?
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