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It's no secret that garlic, lemon juice, and fat make pureed beans a sure hit. And you'll find all of those items in this spread, too, but the end result is something decidedly understated, and pretty lovely.
Rather than stopping at the usual suspects, those ingredients are instead pureed with a generous portion of sweet corn, which you'll saute (with the garlic and shallot) before processing with white pepper to add a touch of warmth to the mild, sweet mixture. It's a terrific reminder that bean spreads and dips can showcase a variety of flavors, not only the most dramatic spices in your cabinet.
Try it slathered on a good bread or paired with crudite. Or both.
Sweet Corn and White Bean Spread
serves 4-6, adapted from Food & Wine
2 TBSP olive oil
2 cups frozen (or fresh) corn kernels
1 large shallot, roughly chopped
1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 cup cooked canned white beans, drained, but not rinsed
2 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 tsp fine sea or kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
Heat oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add corn, shallot, and garlic. Reduce heat to medium and cook for two minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking, until shallot is tender, another 7-8 minutes. Deglaze pan with 1-2 TBSP water, as needed, let water evaporate, and remove from heat.
Meanwhile, place all other ingredients in a food processor. Carefully transfer cooked corn mixture to processor and process until fairly smooth with some visible corn bits, pausing to scrape down sides as needed. Serve at room temperature or chilled.