For someone who is neither pregnant nor a growing adolescent, I have some unusual food fascinations.
It’s been six weeks and counting, and I’ve been compulsively buying fresh dill because I can’t get enough. Before you suggest I grow it, I’ll just point out my basil plant, which I accidentally moved into shade and watered… once. I’m not exactly a green thumb, so my future herb garden may be in trouble.
My love for dill probably began with pickles.
Man… I love pickles.
Not the sweet bread-and-butter kind — the dill kind. Bread-and-butter pickles taste unnaturally sweet and soggy to me, while dill pickles have that sharp, bright tang I crave.
My pickle obsession comes in phases. Sometimes I’ll polish off two jars in a week. Other times I forget about them entirely. And then, after a binge, I’ll tell myself I’m done for a while.
As a kid I used to eat pickles straight from the jar with olives and cheese. Later I discovered the joy of dipping salty potato chips into the leftover pickle juice on my plate at burger night. This was long before pickle-flavored chips were common, and I remember the exact morning a girl on my school bus came in with a bag of those chips — I was equal parts jealous and delighted.
I never tried peanut butter and pickle sandwiches, which my dad loved as a child and might still eat now. I can’t imagine that combination, but if you enjoy it, I admire your adventurous palate. If my aversion to peanut butter + pickles is how some people feel about bacon, consider me conflicted.
Anyway, dill has been a recurring theme for me this summer. I love it in lots of dishes, and one of my favorite ways to use it is in this roasted garlic and dill white bean dip. Roasted garlic makes almost anything irresistible, and this dip is no exception.
Roasted Garlic and Dill White Bean Dip
Makes about 1 cup
- 1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or about 1 1/2 cups cooked beans)
- Roasted garlic from 2 bulbs (use soft, caramelized cloves)
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if desired
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine the beans, roasted garlic, dill, salt, and pepper in a food processor and blend until mostly smooth. With the processor running, stream in the olive oil until the texture is creamy; scrape the sides and bottom as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve in a bowl garnished with extra dill and a drizzle of olive oil. This dip is great with pita, fresh vegetables, crackers, or as a spread on sandwiches.
I might need an intervention for my dip habit.
If you’re gathering recipes for a holiday or party, I’ve put together compilations of crowd-pleasing ideas before — feel free to ask if you want suggestions for planning a menu.