Rosemary Biscuit Sandwiches w/ Garlic White Bean Purée with Parsley and Roasted Red Peppers

For the biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
4 Tbsp. chilled vegetable shortening, cut into small chunks
2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves or 2 tsp. dried
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 beaten egg for glaze
For the white bean purée:
2 cups white beans
1 bulb roasted garlic, pulp squeezed from skins (see note)
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped Italian flat parsley
For the roasted red peppers:
3 roasted red bell peppers, peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces (see note)

To make the biscuits:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Work in butter and shortening with fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse meal with the largest pieces the size of peas — a light touch is key. Add rosemary and buttermilk and stir just to combine.

Transfer dough to flour-covered surface and knead once or twice to smooth dough. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll into circle about 3/4-inch thick. Cut into two-inch rounds and transfer to baking sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg and bake until golden brown, about 15-18 minutes.

To make the white bean purée:
In food processor or blender, place beans, garlic*, lemon juice, milk, salt and pepper and pulse to combine. Turn machine on and pour olive oil in continuous stream until mixture is a creamy purée. Transfer to bowl, stir in parsley and add more salt and pepper if desired. Makes about three cups.

To roast peppers:
Place whole peppers over gas burner or under the broiler. Rotate pepper until entire skin is blackened and blistered. Put into zippered plastic bag to cool. Peel off black skins, then core and seed. By keeping the peppers whole during this process you'll retain the wonderful juices for use in sauces or spreads.

Using a serrated knife, slice biscuits in half. Onto the bottom half of each biscuit, spoon about one Tbsp. garlic white bean purée with parsley. Top with wedge of roasted red pepper and cover with biscuit top.

*To roast garlic, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove as much of the papery skins from the garlic bulb and slice the top off the cloves. Place in baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 1-1/2 hours until the garlic cloves have mellowed into a paste and can be easily squeezed from their skins.

Makes 12 mini-sandwiches.

Recipe used with permission from Janine MacLachlan, chef and owner of The Rustic Kitchen cooking school in Chicago, IL.