Camellia Food And Beverages Tips

Party Time Again!!!!!!
This is a luscious dip that just says party and elegance. You can make it a couple hours ahead and just keep it covered until you are ready to serve.

New Year's Eve is all about easy dishes that bring your menu up a notch and leaves plenty of time for you to visit with guests...get your resolutions in order and count down to next year!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 lb small eggplant and cut in half lengthwise
1 cup canned cannellini beans drained and rinsed
5 tbs olive oil and a bit more for the pan
2 anchovy fillets
2 cloves garlic
3 tbl fresh lemon juice
1 tbl fresh mint chopped and a few sprigs for garnish
2 tsp fresh chopped oregano
2 tbl toasted pine nuts
salt
pepper
toasted pita or tortilla chips


Preheat oven to broil and place rack about 4 inches from element

Foil a baking sheet and lightly grease with olive oil. Rub the eggplant with 2 tbl olive oil and dust skin side with salt and pepper and place on the baking sheet flesh side down. Broil until skin is charred and flesh is tender about 20-20 minutes. Set aside to cool.

On a cutting board, mash anchovies and chopped garlic into a paste. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Add this to a food processor with the beans, 2 tbl olive oil and 1 tbl water. Puree until smooth.

Scrape the eggplant flesh from the skin and add the flesh, fresh lemon juice, mint and oregano to the food processor and pulse briefly until chunky and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.

Serve with toasted pine nuts and mint sprigs for garnish and pita/tortilla chips.

Elegant!
ENJOY!