Steve Sando, adapted from

Heidi Swanson's "COOK 1.0: A Fresh Approach to Vegetarian Cooking"

Use this on mild flavored crackers or crostini, as a spread on grilled panini and sandwiches, even as an occasional ravioli filling.

Ingredients:

2 cups white Rancho Gordo Runner Cannellini, or other creamy white bean,

cooked and drained

6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

5 cloves roasted garlic*

1/3 c. Parmesan, freshly grated

1/4 c. chives, finely chopped

1/2 c. Kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste (don't skimp!)

Directions:

With a fork or preferably a mortar and pestle, smash the beans, olive oil, and roasted garlic together into a thick, chunky paste. Add the goat cheese and work it in until it is all incorporated into the beans. Stir in the chives, olives, Parmesan, and salt and pepper. Depending on the texture and consistency of the bean you use, you may need to add a bit more olive oil a small splash at a time until you have a thick but spreadable paste. (You don't want it too dry.) Serve at room temperature.

*To roast the garlic: Heat your oven to 375 degrees. Lob off the top third of the garlic head and drizzle it with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt. Wrap the garlic tightly in a large piece of foil and place it in the middle rack of your oven for 45 minutes or until the cloves really start to soften up and brown a bit. Uncover or peel back the foil and return the garlic to the oven until the cloves get mushy and there's a nice brown color on the outsides, 10 to 20 more minutes..