When entertaining in the festive season, one of my favourite things to serve is an array of delicious dips.
These four recipes are simple to make, delicious to eat and healthy.
These four dips are sure crowd-pleasersCredit:Paul Cutter
Serve with vegetable crudites – carrot, asparagus, cucumber and zucchini – and garnish with nuts and pomegranate seeds.
MUHAMMARA DIP
• 3 large red capsicums
• ¼ cup roasted walnuts, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• pinch sea salt and black pepper
Preheat oven to 200°C. Place the capsicum on a baking tray. Roast for about 35 minutes, until the skin blackens and capsicum is soft. Remove from the oven and place capsicum into a bowl. Cover with cling fi lm for 30 minutes, then peel and discard the skin and the seeds. You should have about 500g of roasted and peeled capsicum. Combine the capsicum, walnuts, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, salt and pepper into a food processor. Process until the capsicum and walnuts form a lovely, dip-like consistency.
ROASTED BEETROOT DIP
• 1kg beetroot, washed, skin on, cut into wedges
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• ½ cup thick Greek yoghurt (optional)
Preheat oven to 200°C. Place beetroot wedges onto a baking tray and drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil. Sprinkle with a good pinch of sea salt and roast for about 45 minutes, until beetroot is soft. Remove from the oven and cool. Combine beetroot in a food processor or blender with the pomegranate molasses and 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Blend until smooth. Spoon beetroot dip into a serving bowl and stir through yoghurt, if using.
BABA GHANOUSH
• 2 large eggplants
• 3 tbsp tahini
• juice and zest from ½ lemon
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic (optional)
• ½ tsp sea salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 200°C. Pierce eggplant skins with a fork and place on a baking tray. Roast for 30-40 minutes, until the skin blackens, the eggplant has collapsed slightly and the flesh is lovely and soft. Remove from the oven and place eggplant into a colander to allow any excess juices to run out and cool. Remove the inside flesh from the skin – you should have about 500g of soft, creamy flesh. Discard skin. Combine eggplant flesh, tahini, lemon juice and zest, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a high-speed blender and process until smooth and creamy.
GREEN GODDESS DIP
• 500g avocado (about 3 avocados), peeled and seeded • juice from 1 lemon • ½ cup parsley leaves • ½ cup mint leaves • handful baby spinach leaves • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds • ½ tsp sea salt • good grind of black pepper • ¼-½ cup water
Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.
Hero ingredient: capsicums. Capsicums are available in a range of colours, and all contain the natural painkiller capsaicin, clinically proven to be useful against arthritic pain. Capsicums are also a great source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, B6 and E as well as potassium. I love to stuff halved capsicums with fresh ricotta, basil pesto and tomato, then roast until golden.