Sweet Potato Bites with Chipotle Black Bean Spread

Browsing through Vegetarian Appetizers, a recipe for a red potato appetizer caught my eye. The potato slices serve as the base for whatever topping you choose. With sweet potatoes in my pantry, I decided a creamy black bean spread would complement them nicely. The black bean spread turned out addictive. I had to stop myself from eating half the batch with a spoon straight from the bowl! Otherwise, I would have had lonely sweet potato bites with no topping. I sprinkled the end result with a little cilantro, and MD pronounced this "good stuff". I think this could be even better if the potatoes were a little crispy, but I'm not sure how crispy they can get by roasting. If you have any tips, please weigh in with a comment.

Sweet Potato Bites with Chipotle Black Bean Spread

Serves 3-4 with spread leftover

Potatoes:

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced in 1/4 inch rounds

2 Tablespoons olive oil

kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the potatoes, oil, and seasonings in a bowl. Put on a lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, blot lightly to remove excess oil, and let cool a little.

Chipotle Black Bean Spread:

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 large garlic clove, cut into chunks

1 Tablespoon tahini

2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotles

1 Tablespoon orange juice

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

salt to taste

Puree until fluffy in a food processor.

Top sweet potatoes with a little black bean spread and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.