Black Bean Dip

(Adapted from The Foster's Market Cookbook)

First step: Start this recipe well ahead of time, or the day before you plan to serve it.

This dip isn't very photogenic, but it's seriously one of my most delicious recipes. It's easily the thing I make most from this cookbook. It's a flexible recipe so feel free to tweak the garlic, tomatoes and spices. It's a bit more work to cook the beans from scratch, but I always do, and I usually use organic beans.

1 cup dried black beans (If you have time, soak them first for a few hours)

1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced

2-3 bay leaves

1/2 cup tomato juice, or 6-8 small tomatoes, drizzled with olive oil and roasted till soft

juice of 2 limes

1 Tb. cider vinegar

Drizzle of olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, smashed and diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (I skip this)

1/2 red onion, chopped

3-4 scallions, trimmed and chopped

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1-2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/3 cup fresh cilantro

Place the beans in a large pot, cover with water (extra water so beans are covered with about 4 inches of water). Add bell pepper and bay leaves, bring to boil (covered). Take the lid off the pot, reduce heat to medium and cook about 1 1/2 hours, till beans are done.  

Rinse and drain beans, discarding pepper and bay leaves.  

Into bowl of food processor, combine beans and all remaining ingredients except for the cilantro.

Process till smooth. 

Add half the cilantro, pulse till cilantro is roughly chopped.

Serve with remaining chopped cilantro sprinkled over the dip.

This will keep for up to 5 days in the frig (covered), but if you're like us, you'll eat it all within two days. 

It makes a great spread for sandwiches and roll-ups, too.