BLACK BEAN HUMMUS TACOS
Okay so I admit, this wasn’t my idea. I adapted a recipe from the beautiful Empellon ‘Taco’ cookbook.. In the book they claim, once you make black bean hummus you won’t look back (to chickpeas..). Quite a statement. I was dubious, of course! I grew up on hummus, my mum’s Greek Cypriot, and it’s always been a staple. So naturally I was disbelieving, but I’m gonna say, the last few times I’ve made hummus, it’s been black bean hummus.. Don’t kill me mum!!
Having said this, I wouldn’t call black bean hummus a replacement for the regular stuff, it’s a whole different thing. But it’s delicious, and it’ll be featured on the menu of our next Flaming Flamingo supperclub! February 13th, if anyone fancies joining we have some tickets left.
This month and March’s supper clubs we’re hosting at one of my favourite places, the e5Bakehouse. Yes, that’s right, the birthplace of all that delicious bread. Maybe the best bread on the planet? I think so..
Anyway.. Back to the point of the post, which is.. this is a delicious snack, or a fun meal if you decide to go the whole way and make the tacos instead of just the dip.
One of the things that makes this dip pop is burning of the jalapeno. Burning chillies, as with burning most things (intentional burning!), adds a smokey greatness, giving a tasty depth to dishes and sauces.
So my black bean hummus recipe is only slightly changed from Empellon’s. Empellon by the way is a Mexican restaurant in New York, a branch of three, definitely worth a visit if you’re there.
One final note, now you can make this yourself you may no longer feel you have a need to come to our next supperclub, but trust me, you do. The habanero sauce I dolloped on this taco I’m not sharing the recipe for just yet. So if you want it, you’ll have to come and get it.. ;) Hope to see you there!
This recipe will make about 400g of hummus, which will make a whole load of tacos. So either a taco party? You could add these to a selection of taco fillings and people can make up they’re own. Or the hummus will keep in the fridge for a few days so you can use as you would any of bean dip if you have extra..
Black bean hummus tacos
Black beans hummus
Dressed black beans
Avocado sliced
Quick pickled onion
Habanero sauce or burnt habanero oil*
Black Bean Hummus
1 jalapeno
300g cooked black beans, liquid reserved
or 1 400g tin drained and rinsed
1 clove garlic
50g tahini
50g olive oil
juice 1 lime
20g coriander, stalk included
salt and pepper to taste
Burn your jalapeno over an open flame until charred and blackened. Deseed and add to a high speed blender with all your ingredients. Add a little of the reserved cooking water (or fresh water if using tinned beans) a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust as you need.
Dressed black beans
50g cooked black beans
½ clove garlic, grated
splash olive oil
chopped coriander
squeeze of lime
salt and pepper to taste
Heat a small pan, on a medium low heat, add all the ingredients to the pan, except the coriander and lime, take off the heat and add your lime and stir through coriander, season to taste. Set aside.
Quick pickled onion
1 small red onion
pinch salt
50ml red wine vinegar
Thinly slice the onion into rounds, a mandolin would be really useful to get it nice and thin, if you don’t have one a sharp knife will also work!
Place the onion in a small bowl and salt the onion with a pinch of salt. Leave for 30 minutes, this will help speed up softening the onion. Add enough red wine vinegar to cover the onion. It will pickle quite quickly but will be best after a couple of hours and they’ll last up to a month in an air tight container.These are great thing to have in your fridge to add to just about anything.. sandwiches, salads, toasties, eggs. chilli, curry..
For assembly :
Black bean hummus
dressed black beans
avocado sliced
quick pickled onion
habanero sauce or burnt habaero oil•
To assemble your taco .. Warm your tortilla. Unless they’re fresh off the grill, an easy way to do this is to wrap them in foil and place in a hot oven for about 10-15 minutes. Once they’re out keep them wrapped in a towel to keep them warm and soft.
Place a nice dollop of black bean hummus onto each tortilla, about a tablespoon. Smudge over the tortilla. Top with 2 slices of avocado, some dressed beans, pickled onion and habanero sauce or a chili sauce of your choice.
Repeat and enjoy !