Sun-Dried Tomato Dip - Veganomicon (p. 64)

THE RECIPE (COURTESY OF ABOVE REFERENCED COOKBOOK):

2 c. sun-dried tomatoes (dry ones, not packed in oil)
2 c. boiling water
1/2 c. slivered or sliced almonds
1/2 c. cooked white beans [The authors recommend using navy beans...I find it ironic that navy beans are a type of white bean...Anyway, I couldn't find navy beans so I used butter beans instead]
2 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
1/4 olive oil
2 TBL. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. salt [I omitted this]
several pinches of fresh ground pepper
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1) Place the tomatoes in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let sit and soak for 15 minutes.
2) In a blender or food processor, grind the almonds to a powder. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to remove the tomatoes from the water (do not discard the water) and add them to the almonds. Add the remaining ingredients and puree, adding up to 1/4 c. of the tomato water. Scrape down sides as necessary.
3) Cover, chill for at least an hour, then serve. [The authors recommend using this dip as a spread on a grilled veggie sandwich - I dipped carrots and Triscuits]

COMMENTS: Beware when eating this dip! B sampled just a taste of the dip and ended up cracking a tooth! I am so sorry! The culprit must have been an almond piece...? WTF.

The dip was overly garlic...2 cloves was way too intense, in my opinion. For the sheer fact that someone chipped a tooth, I am reluctant to make this dip again. But if I did, I'd use a single garlic clove. Or, maybe I'd use two ROASTED garlic cloves instead!

To make roasted garlic, take an entire bulb of garlic and peel off as much outer skin as possible. Chop off the top. Spread a little olive oil on the top, making sure to coat each individual clove. Wrap in foil and bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. I baked mine for about 35 minutes, and next time, I'd roast it for even longer, so the consistency becomes spreadable, as people purports it does. Roasted garlic is absolutely delicious and tastes a lot more mild than the raw version.