Stove Top Smoker Black Bean Paté

For use in a Stove-Top Smoker. This recipe calls for optional Kombu. Kombu is used extensively in Japanese cuisines as one of the three main ingredients needed to make dashi, a soup stock. Kombu is usually sold dried or in a dried shred called "Oboro kombu". It may also be eaten fresh as sashimi. Making kombu dashi is simple though kombu dashi powder may also be used. A strip of dried kombu is often boiled from the very first step of making a dish and is commonly eaten after cooking. It is often included when cooking beans, putatively to add nutrients and improve their digestibility.

• Ready In: 6 hrs 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  cup dried black beans
• 1  piece  kombu (optional)
• 2  cups water
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄4 cup  hickory chips
• 1⁄4 cup warm water
• 1  tablespoon  oil
• 1  cup  chopped onion
• 2⁄3 cup  chopped mushroom
• 3  garlic cloves
• 1  teaspoon thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cumin
• 2⁄3 cup tahini (sesame butter)
• 1⁄3 cup  juice, from cooked beans
• 2  tablespoons tamari

Directions

1. Soak beans for 2-4 hours in 3 cups of water. Drain and place in 2-quart saucepan with lid. Add kombu and 2 cups water, then pressure cook for 1 hour or boil for 1-1/2 hours (with 3 cups of water.) Stir in salt and let beans sit for 20 minutes, then drain. Soak hickory chips in water for 10 minutes. Transfer drained beans to a metal pan and smoke them on high heat for 5 minutes on an electric a stove and 8 minutes on a gas stove. Remove from heat and let them smoke covered for an additional 30 minutes. In a 10" frying pan, heat oil and sauté onions, mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt and cumin on medium heat for 5 minutes. In a food processor, add smoked beans, sautéed vegetables, tahini, bean juice, and tamari, then process until smooth.
2. Transfer Paté to a container or mold, then refrigerate until chilled. Serve with bread or crackers.