Dip Dip Dip…My little Home Made Dip …(Ten in fact to keep you dipping!!!)

Dips ready for the fridge 

 I really enjoy making dips, (salatim in Israel!)  They are quick and easy, can be served as starter for Shabbat, also mid-week are very satisfying with homemade bread, flat bread, soup and salad.

Sharing dips, and bread wine good olives and stories is a ideal way to spend a lazy summer evening . Finish off the meal with water melon and grapes, all picky and friendly foods. 

Here are 10   of my favorite dips in no particular order!

Yes, ideally you need a food processor, but I have used a hand blender for some of these most of  these dips can be stored in a fridge in an air tight container for 3-5 days.  Quantities for 4-5 people as a starter.

1. Olive Dip literally a 5 minute store cupboard dip and so good for those last minute guests 

Ingredients

1 can of green olives without pips

½   cup ground walnuts

¼ cup fresh chopped parsnips

3 table spoons extra virgin olive oil.

1 clove garlic

1 spoon good quality organic mayonnaise (optional but makes the dip smother and stretch!)

Open the can of olives and rinse them in a sieve in cold water for 2-3 minutes to remove the salt leave to drain.

In a food processor, grind the walnuts, add the parsley garlic and process, add the olives, olive oil and mayo if you are using it.

Blend for 1-2 minutes.

Place in a container and chill before serving… could not be easier!

2. Red Bean Dip. I am always asked for this recipe so here we go again! It’s spicy and deep flavored wonderful on warmed bread, lasts up to 10 days in the fridge.

2 tins red kidney beans or ½ lb. of dried beans cooked and cooled.

4 cloves garlic 

1 teaspoon lemon juice

 I table spoon extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ tea spoon cayenne pepper

1 table spoon tahini

1 tea spoon date syrup

1 medium red onion chopped

1 tea spoon full ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Water to bind (around 1 desert spoon full it should be a paste so not too much.)

 ½ cup fresh coriander a few sprigs washed checked and chopped

Open drain and rinse the beans if using cans.

Place everything apart from the salt in the food processor   together

Blend till smooth but   not runny, taste and add salt to taste.

This is meant to be garlicky and have a punch

leave at least 4 hours in the fridge then serve it’s a great addition to your salatim ad once you have put everything in the blender it takes a couple of minutes.

3. Roasted Red Pepper Dip very very simple, you can use a hand blender for this!

4 large red peppers

2 cloves garlic

½ cup ground almonds

1 table spoon extra virgin olive oil

½ tea spoon ground sea salt.

Preheat an oven too gas 6   400 F 200C

Wash the red peppers and leave them whole place them on baking paper in an oven proof dish place the garlic with them and bake for 45 minutes -1 hour.

Take the  peppers out the oven , let them cool slightly,  then remove the stalk , place a save over a bowl, and let the liquid run out with it will come the pips. Discard the pips.

Blend the peppers, the roasted garlic  add some of the liquid, add the olive oil, ground almonds and then season with the salt.

Place in an air tight container and chill before serving.

4. Smoked Eggplant Dip.  If you are already roasting the peppers you can do eggplant dip too! I have used a hand blender for this dip but a food processor is best.

2-3 Medium eggplants

¾ cup tahini

Juice of 1 lemon

3-4 cloves garlic

½ tea spoon ground black pepper

½ tea spoon sea salt

¼ spoon smoked paprika (optional)

¾ cup fresh parsley chopped

½ table spoon extra virgin olive oil

Preheat an oven too gas 6   400 F 200 C

Wash the eggplant  and leave them whole place them on baking paper in an oven proof dish and bake for 1-1 ½ hours they should be done and have a slightly smoky smell, to achieve this finish the eggplants off under the grill.

When they are cooked, let the eggplants cool a bit removes the stalk.

Place in a food processor with the parsley, garlic, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice and blend, add the seasonings, and if it is a bit stiff add a few drops of water. 

Again stores very well, I make this once a week for the students next door and they say it lasts well from one batch till the next!

5.Guacamole  there almost are as many ways to make this spicy Mexican dip as there are avocados however this is my version that has a 100% success rate and people keep coming back for more. This is not a long stay dip, make it before the meal, and so ensure you keep it in an airtight container to stop it going brown.  It is great as a dip or to eat with Chili either con carne or vegan! In wraps, or on jacket potatoes.  This amount serves 6 as a starter with corn tacos.

If you like it hotter bump up the Caine pepper, the honey takes the acid from the tomato.

NO BLENDER NEEDED!

3 ripe avocados.

I small red onion finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1 medium tomato chopped

½ tea spoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon sea salt

¾ tea spoon dried coriander

¾ tea spoon dried cumin

1 teaspoon runny honey (optional)

Juice of half a lemon

½ cup fresh coriander chopped finely

Peel and mash the avocados place in a bowl add all the other ingredients apart from the chopped coriander mix well then add the coriander. Adjust the seasoning to taste.

Serve straight away!

6. Classic Humus

You need chick peas either 1 lb. of dried chick peas, soaked overnight .in cold water then cooked.

Or 2 x 16 oz. cans of chick peas.

4-5 cloves garlic

2 table spoons tahini paste

1 table spoon ice cold water

2 table spoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tea spoon good quality sea salt

The juice of one lemon

Paprika and zatar, and extra virgin olive oil for serving.

If you are using dried Chick peas   soak them over night in cold water, you will hear popping noises as they expand, don’t worry this is normal.

Change water, and bring to the boil in fresh water and then simmer for around an hour till the chick peas are soft.

Strain and rinse under cold water then you are set to go.

Hint, soak and cook double quantities of chick peas and then freeze them in batches so you can use them as needed. They defrost in around an hour.

Take you chick peas, either cooked or canned, drain them and place them in a food processor, (I sometimes when using canned chick peas and making a small quantity use a hand blender)

Add the tahini, olive oil, water, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Blend till smooth. (How smooth is personal taste I like mine to have a medium smooth texture, some like it like paste)

Serve drizzled with olive oil add zatar.

cooked and seasoned waiting for the onion.

7. Russian Egg & Onion salad 4-6 people originally made with Smaltz (Chicken fat) olive oil adds to the flavor and texture

5 large free range  eggs freshly   hard boiled

1/2 table spoon extra virgin olive oil

2 large Spanish onions peeled and chopped finely.

1 desert spoon of good quality mayonnaise of your choice, one without sugar is best.

½ tea spoon sea salt

½ tea spoon black pepper.

Heat the oil in a frying pan; add the onions and cook gently till lightly brown.

When the eggs are slightly warm peel them & mash them with a fork or potato masher, do not use a food processor it spoils the texture and flavor.

Add the fried onions with any oil from the pan, mayonnaise and seasoning. Mix well.

Put in the fridge till 20 minutes   before you serve. Its better served at room temperature.

8. Roasted Zucchini Dip serves 4-6

There are a multitude of zucchini dip recipes out there in cyber land some are “so so “some are really bland, some incorporate cheese, or cream , I wanted a zucchini dip that tastes good and had the texture of store bought zucchini dip but without all the JUNK.

The secret is roasting the zucchini, using good fresh organic ingredients, and   not being scared to season the zucchini & the dip.

4 organic zucchini’s washed peeled and cut into 8”s

1 whole garlic   washed & left whole

2 large onions peeled washed cut into 8’s

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper.

1/2 teaspoon   fine organic sea salt

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 large free range eggs hard boiled and peeled

3 sliced large flat mushrooms portabella (optional) for a woody flavor

Binders

You can choose one of the following

1/4 cup chopped & ground cashew nuts, mixed nuts or ground almonds.

1/4 cup homemade organic bread crumbs made from good quality whole wheat or spelt bread

Preheat the oven to 170 c

Place the zucchini, the onion and the whole garlic mushrooms in an ovenproof dish sprinkle liberally with sea salt and black pepper and 1/2 the olive oil  

Place uncovered in the oven and bake for 20 30 -minutes, set aside and let cool a little,

 Place the zucchini the onions, egg, the binder of your choice (I prefer the nut binder) the thyme, parsley, the remaining, olive, oil salt cayenne pepper and lemon juice into the food processor

Remove the soft roasted garlic from the skin by pressing down on the skin and taking it out with a teaspoon add to the food processor

Process everything together you might need to add a tea spoon of water if the zucchini are not so juicy

Season to taste, chill; serve with vegetable crudités, or warm flat   bread, along with other salads and dips as a starter.  This will last 3-4 days in the fridge.

9 Basil Tofu “Cheese” a great substitute for my vegan friends , if you are having a cheese evening.  However if you have a soya  intolerance or any thyroid imbalance tofu is not so good for you. their is great on top of Jacket potatoes.

I  block organic   tofu   drained and diced

3 cloves garlic

1 table spoon   extra virgin olive oil

1 bunch organic basil washed and drained taken off the stalk

1 tea spoon sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

¼ cup soy, coconut or almond milk

1 small red onion finely chopped

¼ teaspoon hot paprika

Put the basil and garlic into the food processor and blend, then add the tofu and onion, blend again add all the seasoning   soy, almond or coconut milk, blend together.

You want it smooth but you want to see flecks of the red onion and basil in the mixture. Chill before serving; this lasts up to 10 days in the fridge.

Variations   add 4 sun dried tomatoes too.

Make with coriander and olives instead of Basil 

10.  Greek Tzatziki dip. You can make the regular version or if you want it, I make it dairy free dairy free using  natural vegan yogurt and leaving  out the honey. I first had this dip when I was 11, fell hopelessly in love with it, it is a cousin of Indian Raita ( without the dill and with more mint) use to eat with curry.

1 large pot Greek natural yogurt or two small vanilla vegan yogurt

3-4   Israeli small or 1 large cucumbers washed and grated

3 gloves garlic crushed

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

1 tea spoon organic runny honey

½ tea spoon sea salt

½ teaspoon fresh ground  pepper.

1 table spoon extra virgin olive oil.

In a bowl mix the yogurt, oil, seasoning the herbs, and honey, when it’s mixed add  the grated cucumber mix again. Chill before serving this dip is best made the day of the meal will last up to 24 hours. Any longer then the garlic overpowers it and it splits because of the cucumbers natural juices.

Enjoy your dips.... they an essential part of summer living.