Super Bowl Munchie: Red Bean Dip

No, I didn't make this, nor are we affiliated with those who did. It's just awesome. Insane ultimate Super Bowl dip recipe by Holy Taco; get the how-to here.

My co-blogger Alyce and I are most definitely kindred spirits. But since we human beings are all unique, just like everybody else, even the B-est FFs are bound to have certain points of divergence on tastes. Ours, in a word? Football.

See, Alyce believes the point of football is to enjoy the thrill of the game (I assume, anyway ... I never asked, because I get bored as soon as the F-word is uttered). She totally represents for the knowledgeable, engaged, passionate-to-the-point-of-cuckoo female fans (this article seriously pissed her off), and I admire her for it.

However, I have a very different take on the point of football. For me, gentle reader, it means enduring a long winter of Sunday afternoons of endless, tedious Spandex-clad scrums (how the Jets game the other week trumped Mariska’s Birthday Marathon of SVU in The Rob’s priority system is beyond me) in order to reach the second greatest eating day of the year, after Thanksgiving: the Super Bowl.

Ahhh, the ’Merickan glory that is the classic Super Bowl spread: Pigs in blankets. Buffalo wings. Kielbasa. Nachos. Pizza. Spinach-artichoke dip. Seven-layer dip. Sundry other dips. Requisite accompanying chips. And beer...so, so much beer. The $25,000 Pyramid category here could just as easily be “Things That Make Kitty Happy.”

Anyhoo. This particular bean dip is super-easy, and makes a large quantity on the cheap (it's easily multiplied for a crowd). And it's actually relatively non-fat-laden, at least as far as Super Bowl foods (or, again, things that make Kitty happy) go.

Sauté 1 diced onion in 1 TBSP olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, until translucent. (Optional: Add a dried bay leaf or two.)

Add a drained, rinsed 29-oz. can of red beans (pink or black would also work), 2-3 smashed garlic cloves, 1 chipotle in adobo sauce, and 1 cup beer or chicken stock (or 1/2 cup each).

Turn up heat to high and bring liquid to a boil. Lower heat back down to medium and simmer uncovered, stirring every few minutes, until most of the liquid is gone but it’s a bit soupy still, about 15 minutes.

Turn off burner; add coarse salt to taste and pinches of any other spices you desire (e.g., cumin, paprika, cinnamon, chili powder).

Remove the bay leaf and, if your fellow Bowl-ers are wusses about spicy food, the chipotle.

Using an immersion blender or in a food processor, puree the bean mixture.

Stir in 1 cup sour cream. (You can skip this if you’re super-fat-conscious, though even I know that is not the point of the Super Bowl.)

Give the blender or processor a couple more pulses to blend. If necessary, add a little more sour cream, or water, to achieve the desired texture, and pulse again. Taste and adjust seasoning as you like, or don’t.

Serving Options

You can simply serve this at room temperature—optionally garnished with chopped cilantro or chives—alongside baby carrots, tortilla chips, bagel chips, Triscuits, or, if you’re feeling ambitious, triangles of flatbread.

Or spread it in an ovenproof dish, cover with shredded Monterey Jack or white cheddar, and (optionally) crumbled bacon or diced chorizo; and/or diced or pickled jalapenos. Bake at 400° until the cheese is melty and bubbly and starting to brown. Serve hot with any of the abovementioned accoutrements.

And of course, you can use this bean dip as one of the layers in seven-layer dip, a classic Super Bowl ritual. Other layers might include (but are not limited to): guacamole; salsa cruda; salsa verde; pulled pork, beef chili, or shredded chicken; shredded Cheddar or Jack; seasoned corn; or straight-up shredded iceberg lettuce.

When football season has—mercifully—concluded, you can add the bean mix to burritos and quesadillas; or, go easy on the sour cream and keep it a little chunky, and serve it as a side with chicken and rice.

Enjoy the Super Bowl, and remember: Your team may not cover the spread, but as long as you eat and drink your own weight, you come out a winner.