Black Bean Hummus with Plaintain Chips

from Viking Cooking School
INGREDIENTS:
Hummus
3T evoo
1 small white or yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp dried oregano
4 cups cooked black beans (or two 15 ounce cans rinsed and drained)
3T freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes)
3T coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2t hot pepper sauce (like tobasco) or to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
warm water as needed to thin
green onions, green tops only, very thinly sliced for garnish
Plantain Chips
2 green plantains
canola or vegetable oil for frying
garlic salt to taste

1. for the dip: place a medium saute pan over medium high heat; add the oil and heat through. Stir in the onion and bell pepper and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and dried oregano, and cook 2 minutes more. Pour in the beans and continue cooking, stirring often, until just warmed through about 2 minutes.
2. Remove the pan from the heat, then transfer the bean mixture to the work bowl of a food processor (I just used a hand blender). With the motor running, add the lime juice, cilantro and hot pepper sauce; continue processing until the dip is completely smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning to taste with salt pepper and hot pepper sauce. If the dip is too thick for chips, thin with a little warm water, adding it one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is achieved.
3. Cover the dip with plastic wrap, and allow to sit, unrefrigerated, for one hour prior to serving to allow the flavors to develop. If it will be more than one hour before serving, cover tightly and refrigerate. Remove one hour before serving to bring to room temperature. Garnish with chopped green onions.
4. For the chips: Cut both ends off each plantain (at an angle) to facilitate easier peeling. Make one long shallow cut along the ridge of the plantain, being careful to not cut into the flesh. Run your fingers along the cut portion of the peel to loosen, slowly working off the peel. If you are having trouble removing the peel, rum a small amount of oil onto your fingers. Using a mandoline or v-slicer, cut the peeled plantains at an angle into 1/8 inch thick slices.
5. In a deep fat fryer (or a large deep sauce pan*), heat the oil to 350F degrees**. When the oil is up to temperature, carefully drop small batches of the plantains into the oil. gently stir with long tongs or a spider to prevent sticking together. When the plantains are crisp and golden brown, carefully remove from the oil, and place on a paper towel lined baking sheet in a single layer; sprinkle generously with garlic salt. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with Black Bean Hummus.
*It is very important to use a deep sauce pan. When the plantains are added to the hot oil, the oil bubbles vigorously and rises up the sides of the pan very quickly. If a shallow sauce pan is used, the oil can easily rise up and over the sides onto the stovetop.
**Proper oil temperature is important for best results. To test the temperature, use a deep fry or candy thermometer. If a deep fry thermometer is not available, fry a one inch square of bread for one minute. If the cube browns, the temperature is about 365 degrees.