I just absolutely love New York City! I love all the sights, sounds and, especially, the restaurants. Shopping should probably fall in the list somewhere, but I can honestly say that I prefer the exploring more. Fortunately, my husband is a willing explorer with me. We’ve had some really unique and fun times checking out both the famous and not-so-famous restaurants in the places we have visited . Mesa Grill, Bobby Flay’s restaurant in Manhattan, is one of the places that we have enjoyed. Since I’ve been a Food Network fanatic (and an even earlier Julia Child wannabe) forever, I knew that this would be one of the places we would investigate. This dip from there is tasty, healthy and easy! You just can’t beat that combination.
1 pound dried white beans, soaked overnight and drained (canellini beans are excellent)
OR (and this is my choice) 2 (19-ounce )cans canellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 cloves garlic, peeled OR 2 cloves, minced, if using canned beans
2 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced (You can use the jarred variety if you
prefer.)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chipotle puree (I usually make my own using canned chipotle peppers.)
1 tablespoon honey
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
OR (and this is my choice) 2 (19-ounce )cans canellini beans, rinsed and drained
4 cloves garlic, peeled OR 2 cloves, minced, if using canned beans
2 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and diced (You can use the jarred variety if you
prefer.)
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chipotle puree (I usually make my own using canned chipotle peppers.)
1 tablespoon honey
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Combine the soaked beans and garlic in a large saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch. (If using the canned beans, skip to the next step.) Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer untils oft, approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours, adding boiling water as needed to keep the beans covered. Drain in a colander; do not discard the garlic.
Combine the roasted peppers, vinegar and chipotle puree in a food processor and process until smooth. You can do the same thing with a mixer, but the dip will not be as smooth. Add the beans and garlic to the mixture and procfess until smooth. Add the honey and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a bowl and garnish with chopped cilantro. This can be made ahead, covered and refrigerated for a few hours. It is best to bring it to room temperature before serving.
Serve with tortilla chips.
