accidentally delicious black bean dip

Apologies for the hot-so-hot photo. The sun was going down and as you can see, my cocktail is half full, which often leads to sub-par photography. I was also rushing the "shoot" so I could grab some chips and dig into the dip. Which was very, very good. It was almost as popular as our furry houseguest.

Canned black beans are a pantry staple in our house, which led to the last-minute creation of this dip. Friends were coming over for tacos, and I wanted to make a pre-dinner snack other than my usual guacamole. I had the black beans, some garlic, limes, cilantro, and a big container of Greek yogurt in the fridge. So I threw everything in my food processor (after sauteing the garlic and beans), crossed my fingers, and hit the "puree" button. Luckily, a bright and tangy dip was born.

The Greek yogurt is really key here. I use it in almost everything these days, from salad dressings to baked goods to pasta dishes, and think it is way superior to the usual sour cream you find in dip recipes. Healthier, too!

On its own, the dip tasted great but to gild the lily, I added a few handfuls of shredded jack cheese on top and put the whole thing in a hot oven until the cheese melted and turned a bit brown. And...yum.
Like choosing an outfit, sometimes the best recipes come together when you're not overthinking it.

Black bean dip
I served this with tortilla chips, radishes, and sugar snap peas.
(Makes about 2 cups)

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 glove garlic, minced
1 15 oz. can black beans
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1 lime, juiced
salt
1 cup Greek yogurt (I like Fage 1 percent)
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded (or cheddar, or pepper jack)

In a small saucepan over medium heat, saute the garlic in the olive oil until it starts to turn golden. Add the entire can of beans and the liquid. Stir until combined. Let the beans simmer on medium-low heat for five minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.

When the beans have cooled a bit, put them in a food processor along with the cilantro, lime juice, and a generous pinch of salt. Puree until smooth. In a small bowl, stir in the Greek yogurt and adjust the seasonings if necessary. (You can make the dip in advance and store in the refrigerator at this point.)

When you are ready to serve it, preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Pour the dip into an oven-proof dish and top with the shredded cheese. Bake the dip until the cheese has melted and starts to brown on top. Serve immediately.