Black Bean Hummus

This is my ingenious and tasty entry into the current trend of serving black-hued foods. In this hummus, black beans take the place of the chick-peas and peanut butter the place of sesame tahini. Lime juice, hot peppers, and cilantro add a Caribbean twist, which may be accented further by using sweet potato and banana chips as dippers instead of the traditional pita triangles.

8 ounces of dried black beans, soaked overnight, then cooked in fresh water until tender or 2 cans of black beans, drained
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
3 large cloves garlic, minced 
1/2 cup freshly ground smooth peanut butter 
1/2 to 3/4 cup water 
2 jalapeņo chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1/2 cup minced cilantro (fresh coriander)
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil 
Lime wedges for garnish Black olives for garnish
 

1. Drain and rinse the cooked black beans. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Place the lime juice, garlic, and peanut butter in a food processor and process to a smooth paste.
3. Add the black beans and process until the mixture is very smooth, thinning it to spreading consistency with the water while processing. Add the jalapeņo chiles and cilantro and pulse the machine just to incorporate. Season to taste with salt.
4. Transfer the black bean hummus to a serving bowl. Drizzle the top with olive oil to make it glisten. Garnish with lime wedges and black olives. Serve at room temperature accompanied by the di-pers of your choice.
Makes about 4 cups