Submitted by: Julia Leonard

Say ‘bean’ in New Mexico and folks know you mean pinto beans. Pinto beans are a state staple whether they’re served up on the side of your burrito or simply ladled into a bowl with a slice of cornbread or a warm tortilla. They start out creamy white with browny-red speckles. Once they’re cooked, they’ve lost their spots but gained a whole lot of flavor.

INGREDIENTS:

Two cups cooked pinto beans
Juice of 1 lemon, about 4 Tbsp
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp tahini
½ tsp sea salt
3-4 Tbsp bean cooking liquid (or water)
Small bunch of cilantro, about 8 oz – leaves and tops of stems chopped roughly, about ½ cup
Drizzle of olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Place the beans, lemon juice, garlic, tahini, salt and 2 tablespoons of the bean cooking liquid (or water) in the bowl of a small food processor. Blitz, adding more liquid until you have a rough paste. Add in the cilantro and blitz again until the mix is smooth and creamy. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice if needed.

 Place in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with additional chopped cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips, toasted pita chips or sliced raw vegetables like carrots and celery.  Refrigerate any leftover hummus and eat within a few days.