White Bean Hummus ... first post

Why Fried Sage? Why not? Have you ever had any? Fresh sage leaves frying away in a pan of olive oil or butter, waiting for the fillet of rainbow trout or Arctic char or salmon to join for a quick and easy saute. Like crispy, slightly blackened fish skin, it's my version of bacon. Besides, the name was one of the few still available in the blogosphere. Geez, it's getting crowded in the pool.

So my first attempt at documenting this new path of learning (and actually enjoying) how to cook will be short and simple. White bean hummus. Quick and easily tweakable, and nearly impossible to screw up. Cannellini beans are my white bean of choice, because they're mild and creamy and a can is on hand. This is a small batch using one 15-oz. can, because it's cooking for one pescatarian (no eat meat, but most else).

There are few ingredients ... which is a good thing since the little mini-processor doesn't hold much. And I'm not too worried about getting it silky-thin smooth; I like it thick and sturdy. Along those lines, I use probably 1/4 the amount of olive oil normally added. That way it tastes like I'm eating beans with a bit of oil and not oil with a bit of beans.

White Bean Hummus

(adapted from George Duran's recipe from FoodNetwork.com)

1 15-ounce can of cannellini beans
lemon juice (about half a small lemon)
3/4 teaspoon Garam Masala
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup tahini paste
salt & pepper (to taste)
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil (more or less, depending on personal preference)

Combine all ingredients, except the olive oil, in the food processor bowl. Turn on the processor and slowly add the desired amount of olive oil. Process until it's reached your preferred consistency.