Black Bean Hummus

Ok, people. This hummus is to DIE FOR! I brought it over to a friend's house recently, and it was gone in 5 minutes. Now, I have made MANY a hummus in my day. The classic garbanzo bean varieties, other bean varieties, super spicy, super mild, etc. This recipe is a nice crowd-pleaser. I love the flavor of black beans, plus it's something different than what you see in the store.

I also really enjoy experimenting with hummus. Once I've got a good base to work with, I just start adding stuff, and coming up with new varieties! (This is why I'm a cook, not a baker. I cannot follow directions very well. I just use them as a loose guideline... which doesn't work very well with baking!)

Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this recipe, and then make it your own! Once you make a good hummus or two from scratch, you can say goodbye to the days of the store-bought stuff!


Ingredients:
1 16oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbs tahini
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4-1/3 cup olive oil
turmeric to taste
chili powder to taste
crushed black pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine beans, tahini, garlic, salt, and half of your olive oil in a food processor. Pulse about ten times to get it going. Add your spices, as much as you like, and pulse another ten times. Add the rest of your olive oil (and you may need extra, so have it handy), and run the processor until you have a smooth puree.
Chill and serve with pita, crackers, and/or fresh veggies.

Notes:
With hummus, the ingredients have lots of shimmy room. The tahini is a sesame seed puree. If you like a nutty flavor, go a little heavy-handed, if not, one tablespoon will due. If you don't have tahini, or don't like it, you can always make an alternative nut puree ahead of time. Pine nuts are my favorite alternative.
The salt is a necessary ingredient (trust me, I've made hummus without it, and it really suffered for it), but again, you can go a little light or heavy-handed depending on your preference.
I do recommend finely chopping your garlic beforehand, that way you don't get anybody biting into a huge chunk that didn't get processed well. Remember, those beans really crowd the blades.
I like a spicy hummus (well, spicy anything, really), so I add lots of turmeric, chili powder, and black pepper, but again, this is your dish. Play around with flavors! Add different spices and see what you like.
Annnnnd, the olive oil. Gotta be careful here. If you use too little, you have a very stiff hummus, and if you use too much, it's runny and the olive oil flavor is too strong. I'd say start with about a quarter cup and work your way up until you reach the consistency that satisfies you. If you find your hummus to still be stiff, add some water! If you used canned beans, reserved starch water from the can works best. If not, regular water works fine too! Again, start slow and add as needed.
Most people prefer a chilled hummus, so pop it in the fridge for about an hour before serving. Or don't. I think it tastes great at room temp as well!