Vegetable-Bean Dip

This is a lighter, more balanced version of American bean dip but still satisfies most traditionalists during football season.
It’s very flexible – experiment with different beans, blend until smooth or leave unblended, increase garlic and lemon juice (or add ground red pepper) if you like a tangy dip.

INGREDIENTS

 1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans (or fava beans, or black beans)
 1 large onion, chopped
 1 large tomato, diced
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 1½ tablespoons olive oil
 ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
 ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
 2 tbl. tahini (ground sesame paste;  can be found in Wegman’s International section)
 salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

 Pour the beans into a pot,       stir, and bring to a boil. Mix them well and add onion, tomato, garlic, olive  oil, parsley, lemon juice, tahini, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture  back to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium. Let the mixture cook 5      minutes.  Transfer mixture to a blender  and process until desired consistency. Serve warm with grilled pita,  tortilla chips, or flatbread.