Roasted Red Peppers Bean Dip

What is this, you ask? More peas? True to my last post, I went back to the farm to pick more green peas, along with some snow peas and potatoes. A week made a huge difference though - I'm assuming because it's been so hot and dry lately, I really had to sift through the peas to find ones that weren't fully matured yet. I added some garlic scrapes with the green peas and turned them into a pesto.





It was also the first week for raspberry picking and I couldn't resist snagging a couple of pounds. I ended up spending a good three hours on the farm. It was like I was WWOOFing again. (Minus the fact that it was 30+ degrees out. And loud children were running around.)

Summer is fast becoming my favourite season because I actually enjoy the unbearable heat and you can't beat in-season fruits. Cherries, peaches and plums - these are fruits I've purchased from the farmers' market in the past several weeks and I thank my lucky stars that they were available since it's been such a tough season for growers. I really wanted to go peach picking this year and make an absurd amount of peach preserves (I've been dreaming about peaches since last fall) but I don't think that's going to happen. I do need to make this before peaches disappear from my life again.



The raspberries, however, were cooked and canned.





This week, I was inspired by Mark Bittman's bell peppers recipes. I'm a huge believer in cooking in bulk (why put in all that effort for just one meal?) so I roasted several peppers and the leftovers were thrown in the freezer for future use.





The roasted red peppers were thrown into the food processor with some white beans and made into a dip/spread. Have I mentioned how much I love my food processor? Best. Investment. Ever.

Roasted Red Peppers Bean Dip
Adapted from Closet Cooking

2 sweet red peppers
1 can white beans, rinsed
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 lemon (zest and juice) - or to taste
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil + more to coat peppers
A handful of fresh basil leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Coat peppers in olive oil, place them on a baking sheet lined with foil and roast in a 450 degree oven. Turn the peppers as each side browns, until they have darkened and collapsed. Gather the corners of the foil and wrap up the peppers; cool until you can handle them, about 15 minutes, then remove the blackened skin and seeds.

Throw the red peppers into a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients and puree everything until smooth. Taste and add more lemon juice, salt and pepper if necessary.