FIESTA MENU: Spicy Black Bean Dip; Mexican Shepherd’s Pie; Colorful Southwestern Salad; Cinnamon-Mocha Dulce De Leche Bites
Dirty little secret: I’ve had the remains of a can of chipotle chili peppers in my fridge for 5 months. Well, it’s actually not that dirty. Chipotles keep for a freakish amount of time if transferred to an airtight container, and it takes a LONG time to use them all. For a while, I made it my mission to get through them. I made old staples like Vegetarian Chili, Hummus, and Mango Salsa using the chipotles to add some extra heat and smokiness. Then, with but a few peppers left, I closed the tupperware container, put it back in the fridge, and gave up.
But as I was doing a big clean, I rediscovered the chiles hidden beneath random jars of condiments. They were still good, miraculously. So I decided to throw together a quick black bean dip with the last few peppers for some friends who were coming over for a drink. Even after their long stay in my fridge, the pepper added the perfect kick to my dip, perhaps more so than some ground chili powder that’s been sitting on my spice shelf for at least as long. I’d really encourage you to pick up a can, and keep it around for a while.
From my kitchen, albeit small, to yours,
Phoebe, THE QUARTER-LIFE COOK
Spicy Black Bean Dip
Makes 6 appetizer portions
1 large garlic clove
1/2 small shallot
1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 chipotle chili, plus 1 tbsp adobo sauce
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tsp salt
cilantro and sour cream for garnish
Combine all the ingredients plus 1/4 of a cup of warm water in a small food processor. Puree until smooth and creamy.
