Tepary Bean Hummus

2c cooked Tepary beans

2 lg. cloves of garlic

1 green onion

2T EVOO

4T toasted sesame oil

1t-1T lemon zest

juice of 1 lemon

salt and pepper

Teparies are common to the southwest, having been cultivated there by native tribes, as far back as pre-Columbian times.  I've cooked white, brown and black teparies that I bought on trips to Arizona.  I love indigenous, old heirloom type foods!  Garbanzo beans are classic in hummus, but you can use any type of beans (red kidneys, black-eyed peas, adukis, navys, black beans, limas...).  Each brings a little different quality to the finished dish.

In your food processor, combine all the ingredients, blending until smooth with no lumps.  Serve with crackers, pretzel chips, or vegetable slices. . .Lin

Dandelion Greens, Bacon and Beans

3 lg. cloves garlic - minced

1 med. onion - chopped

¾c chopped pecans

2T bacon grease or EVOO

1 lg. bunch dandelion greens*

1c bean cooking water

2-3c cooked Heirloom Tepary Bean

¾c crispy cooked bacon crumbles

2t sugar

1T Better Than Bouillon - vegetable

Saute' the garlic, onion and pecans, in grease or oil, in a big, non-stick pan, covered, to get things going quickly.  Normally I would NOT use a purple onion for this since they usually turn a really odd purple-green color when cooked, but that doesn't really matter considering the color of the other ingredients.  When sizzling, reduce the heat and add the chopped greens. *(Dandelion greens are very bitter.  If you're not a fan of that, substitute a milder, dark green kale.)  Bring back to a sizzle again then add the water.  Cover and simmer 5 minutes.  Add the beans, half the bacon crumbles, sugar, cover and simmer again another 5 minutes.  Check the flavors and add the soup base only if needed, since there's a lot of salt in the bacon, but it did help counteract a little of the bitterness in the greens after I added it.

Pour this into a casserole dish, sprinkle with the remaining crispy bacon.

Refrigerate until ready to reheat and serve.

This is good by itself or with a bland, neutral meat such as fish or chicken.  Reheat, uncovered at 350⁰ for 10-15 minutes. . .Lin