Lima Bean Spread With Feta and Za’atar

Ingredients

• 8 ounces dried lima beans, soaked overnight, skins removed
• 1 large head garlic
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground, or 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ cup finely chopped mint leaves
• 5 ounces (about 1/2 cup) crumbled feta
• Salt
• 1 teaspoon za’atar (see note)
• Pita bread, for serving

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    331 calories; 18 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 30 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 21 milligrams cholesterol; 226 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
  Powered by DiningAndCooking.com

6 to 8 appetizer or snack servings

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring about 3 quarts water to a boil and add soaked, skinned beans. Reduce to a simmer and cook until beans are very soft, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, drizzle garlic with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast until very tender, about 30 minutes.
2. When beans are soft, reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain well. Using a food processor, blend beans just until coarsely mashed. Allow roasted garlic to cool until it can be handled, then squeeze garlic out of its skin into bean purée. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and cumin. Process just until blended, adding a bit of reserved cooking water if needed to make a rough, chunky purée.
3. Transfer to a bowl. Add mint and feta, and stir to mix. Season with salt, as needed. Place in a serving dish, drizzle with remaining olive oil, and sprinkle with the za’atar. Serve with pita bread.

• Za’atar, an herb blend, can be made in bulk by mixing 2 tablespoons dried oregano or thyme, 1 tablespoon dried marjoram, 2 tablespoons lightly toasted sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon sumac and 1/2 teaspoon salt. It is also available from Kalustyan’s, (800) 352-3451 or kalustyans.com.

40 minutes