Light and zingy green bean dip – perfect with crudités
This is a wonderfully light and fluffy bean dip that you can whizz up in seconds in your blender. Unlike homemade hummus, which needs a bit of work to become like that wonderful texture of dip to be found in a good Middle Eastern restaurant, the flageolet beans used in this recipe create an effortlessly creamy concoction.
The sage plant growing in our garden is currently full of flowers and scented leaves, and just crying out for some culinary inspiration. This pale green dip is a great way to enjoy sage’s distinct flavour, while the lime juice cuts through with a fresh, zingy note.
Sage is considered a very English herb, but it actually originates from the Mediterranean. It’s said to be a pretty hardy perennial, and certainly the seeds we aimlessly chucked in a pot one day have grown into a lovely, healthy looking plant without the need for much attention.
Many may associate sage with its use in meat dishes like pork, or in sage & onion stuffing or sage butter, but it can really lend its lovely flavour to a much wider variety of dishes. Check out this post on the great food blog, Chocolate and Zucchini, on home cooks’ ideas for sage.
What do you do with your sage? Any ideas for summer recipes you’d like to share? Feel free to share them with Life and Chai…
Green bean dip with sage and lime
Ingredients
- 400g tin of flageolet beans
- 1 heaped tbsp tahini
- 1 clove crushed garlic
- A glug of good quality olive oil (that’s a technical term that means use the amount you feel comfortable with!)
- Salt and pepper to season
- Juice of half a lime
- 3-5 sage leaves
Method
Put the beans in a blender or food processor along with the tahini, garlic, olive oil, lime juice and sage. Blend until the mixture becomes creamy (around 30 seconds). Add salt and black pepper to taste. Put the dip in a bowl and use a few more sprigs of sage to garnish if desired.
Use as a dip for crudités, as a salad accompaniment or on top of a homemade burger or vegetable pattie in between a wholemeal bun.
I’ve added this to the Cooking with Herbs monthly challenge, hosted by Karen at Lavender and Lovage.
Julie is a food and lifestyle blogger! 
What a fabulous dip and perfect for any summer party, with toasted pitta bread or flat breads, really pretty photos too! Karen