Tailgate Fiesta Dip

By Misa Misono

I have a confession to make: I’m not a huge fan of football. Even back in my high school days, in a town where football was king and I went to a school with a great team, I just couldn’t get into it. But I did find a silver lining in the fall months of football—the food. So though I could care less what team was playing or who was on the 50-yard line, I always said yes to the football tailgates and parties.

Unfortunately, football food is generally pretty unhealthy. Tailgate Fiesta Dip, while not as healthy as a snack of carrot sticks, is a welcome break from the spread of deep-fried foods, large hunks of meat, and wings in hot sauce. It incorporates two famous stand-alone dips, guacamole and salsa, into something that truly is more than the sum of its parts. By using pico de gallo, a fresh, chunky and simple version of salsa, you add bright, vibrant flavor. The additions of black beans and fresh cheese make the dip heartier and add texture to create a veritable fiesta in your mouth.

For those of you who are already chips-and-dip junkies, this easy recipe should be a total touchdown. It should also please the palate of those who love Latin flavors. Take this dip to your next party and I guarantee, you’ll win every time.

Shopping notes:
Make sure to buy guacamole made from real avocados –you can find it in vacuum-sealed packages near the bagged salad at the grocery store. I like Holy Guacamole. Find the cheese near the packaged shredded cheeses – it’s usually in a red and white wrapper, stored flat.

Cooking tools:
1 knife
1 cutting board
1 1-quart bowl

Tip: If you’re cooking for a crowd, this recipe is easy to double!

Ingredients:
1 8oz can of plain black beans
1 8oz container of fresh pico de gallo salsa
1 8oz package of fresh or vacuum-sealed guacamole (or 2 fresh avocados, diced)
1/8 cup fresh cilantro
¼ cup Cotija cheese or queso fresco cheese
¼-1 whole fresh jalepeño
Salt and pepper to taste

1 large bag of tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS
Tear off approximately an 1/8 cup (about ¼ of a bunch from the store) of cilantro, throwing out the bottom two-thirds of the stems. Wash and towel-dry. Chop or use a pair of scissors to chop into fine pieces. Set aside.

Pour black beans into strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Move to next step while beans drain.

Cut top off of jalepeño, and cut lengthwise in half. Carve out the seeds and white fibers, discard. Chop finely.

Add beans to 1-quart bowl. Add fresh salsa and guacamole. Mix with a large spoon. Add chopped cilantro and chopped jalepeño. Mix with spoon.

Tear off approximately ¼ cup of cheese and crumble with your hands. Add to dip.

For best results, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator for 1 hour. Serve with chips or quesadillas. Stays good for 2 days, though guacamole will start to brown.

SERVES: 6-8 persons snack portions