Preparation

1. Drain and rinse soaked beans, add to pot and cover with fresh water. Add bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then lower heat and simmer until tender, about 40 minutes.

2. While beans cook, in a small bowl combine maple syrup, 1 tsp salt, chili flakes and chipotle powder. Set aside.

3. Cut chanterelle mushrooms in half, and pull apart maitake mushrooms (thickly slice shiitake if using those). In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add maitake mushrooms and sear on both sides, about 2 minutes, browning lightly. Season with salt. Remove and then add the chanterelles and cook 1 ½ minutes per side. With the heat off, add all mushrooms and spicy maple syrup to the hot pan, toss gently to combine.

4. Remove beans from pot, reserving cooking liquid. In a blender, add beans, 1 cup cooking water, sumac, bell pepper, 1 tsp salt. Blend until smooth. Taste and add additional salt if needed.

5. Optional salad for serving: 1 cup finely chopped Swiss chard, 1 chopped tomato, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt to taste. Combine garlic, olive oil and salt. Toss with chard and tomato.

6. Spoon some bean puree in the center of each plate, smooth a hollow in the middle. Add salad, then layer on the mushroom mixture. Drizzle some of the spicy syrup around the plate. Serve with two warm Nixta tortillas.