Adventures in Cooking - Black Bean Hummus

I love beans. I love dips. The marriage of the two (bean dips) is truly a thing of beauty.

I ran across a recipe for black bean hummus when I was searching for a tahini-free hummus recipe. It sounded interesting (especially with the seasonings), so I bookmarked it for another day.

That day came this weekend, when I found myself home alone with a miraculously clean kitchen. I have about ten cans of black beans in the cupboard, because every time I go to the grocery store, I somehow forget that I have ten cans of beans and think, "Oh, I don't have any beans at home! I should pick some up!" Perhaps I am a compulsive bean-hoarder. I don't know. No matter, though - it served me well this weekend.

My boyfriend, who claims to dislike hummus, really liked this version. I hesitate to call it hummus, because it almost has the consistency of refried beans. That and my understanding is that one of the characteristics of hummus is that it has a chickpea base.

Whatever you want to call this dip, we can all agree on one name: Delicious!

BLACK BEAN HUMMUS

INGREDIENTS

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (reserve 2 tbsp. liquid)

1.5 tbsp. tahini

Juice of 1/2 lemon

3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. paprika

1 clove garlic

Pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Add all ingredients to blender or food processor; blend until smooth.

2) Serve and enjoy!

This dip has a really nice tangy kick to it - thank you cayenne pepper! I ate it with tortilla chips, although you could certainly dip veggies in it, or even spread it on a sandwich (which I sometimes do with regular hummus). Aric and I made tacos a few nights ago and served this dip on the side - it was the perfect compliment to the meal.

I did find, however, that the tahini (which I made myself) doesn't really add much flavor to it, or much moisture. The next batch I make (which I plan to gift to a friend), I will omit the tahini and see how that goes. If it comes out too dry, I will probably substitute more of the liquid from the can, since it has the wonderful black bean flavor in it already.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Quick, easy, delicious, and healthy. And boyfriend approved. What more could you want from a dish?