This unattractive, oddly satisfying snack you're eating--leftover pureed butternut squash mixed with Trader Joe's soy chorizo--would, with queso fresco, make a great dip for tortilla chips. Or skip the cheese--it would still be good.
Just saying.
Here are some other things I have done with my recent Big Batch of Beans.
1. Bean dip. You can treat these little critters pretty much like black beans, which is to say: spice them with olive oil, garlic, cumin, chipotle peppers, lime, cilantro and/or leftover salsa and puree using your favorite pureeing machine. I did two different incarnations of bean dip for two different cookouts. The smokier, more chipotle-heavy one was a bigger hit. But some people like the cilantro-heavy first one.
2. Chili. Again, use in place of black beans in your favorite recipe.
3. Stew. I guess this wasn't really all that different from the chili, but I didn't use any chili POWDER. Sauteed onions and garlic and adobo sauce, added some tomatoes and the leftover beans and broth, realized there were hardly any beans left, and quick chopped up sweet potatoes and zucchini and simmered with frozen corn. I also fried some cubed tofu in oil, braggs, chili powder, cumin, and coriander, and sprinkled with lime juice. Served the whole shebang over cilantro-lime brown rice.
The adzuki beans are finally gone and it's time to move on to some other corner of my bean stash. I'll keep you posted.
I wanted to make something savory for tonight's gathering--again, without visiting the grocery store--so I whipped up this dippy-dip based on what I had on hand, which is really what The Makeshift Cook is all about.
Pesto Bean Dip
1 can white beans--I had soybeans, so that's what I used, mostly drained
1 bunch fresh basil (about 1/2 cup, super-packed), roughly chopped
1 small zucchini, grated
1 clove garlic, pressed/minced
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup olive oil
Fresh lemon juice and zest to taste
Salt and pepper ditto
Dump the beans and olive oil into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add other ingredients one at a time until incorporated. Feel free to add more olive oil or lemon juice as needed to get the texture you want. I used a blender, so I probably erred on the side of more liquid.
I swirled this together with the tail end of some delicious olive tapenade my sister brought me a few weeks ago (using up leftovers!!).
This stuff gives you the pesto flava without quite so much pesto fat, plus it has sneaky vegetables in it! Dip crackers, vegetables, pita chips, or your face into it.
BONUS: I used the leftovers as part of a pasta sauce. Leftovers in my house know who's boss.
