From inthekitchenwithkath.com
(Adapted from a recipe developed by Laura Dedon Oxford.)
I used Goya brand black beans which were top rated by Cook’s Illustrated and widely available at the stores where I shop.
Makes about 4 cups, or twelve 1/3-cup servings.
To cook the black beans:
10 ounces dried black beans
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1. Rinse the beans and check for rocks. (I have never found a rock in dried beans, but recipes always advise you to check them over.)
2. Put the beans in a slow cooker. Cover with water by about 2 – 3 inches. Stir in the salt.
3. Turn on LOW and cook for 6 – 9 hours. (I cooked mine for 9 and they were perfect, but they may have been done earlier than that. I used my older 4-quart cooker which does cook cooler than my newer 6-quart one. The timing will depend on how hot your cooker gets and the age of your beans.)
4. Drain the beans through a strainer into a bowl. Reserve about a cup of the cooking liquid; refrigerate the liquid and the beans separately until you’re ready to make the dip.
To make the Superb Black Bean Dip
4 cups cooked black beans
5 slices bottled jalapeno pepper slices (I used “Tamed” jalapeno for a hint of spice.)
1 tablespoon brine from the bottled jalapenos
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon sugar (I used coconut sugar.)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon paprika (I used smoked paprika, but you could use regular.)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon adobo sauce (from canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
The juice from 1 wedge of lime squeezed in
Reserved cooking liquid, if needed
1. Put all of the ingredients in a food processor.
2. Process using the pulse button, at least at first, until the ingredients are well-blended. You’ll probably have to stop the food processor a time or two to push the ingredients down from the sides with a spatula.
3. When it’s all blended, if it seems too dry, add some reserved cooking liquid about 2 tablespoons at a time. Process after each addition. Continue to add a bit of liquid and process until it is the texture you like. (All in all, I used about 1/3 cup of the liquid.)
4. Taste for seasonings and adjust if necessary. If you want it spicier, you can add a bit more of any of the spicy ingredients and process to blend them in.
5. It can be served right away or covered and refrigerated to serve later. (I do think the flavor develops a bit more if it’s made ahead.)