Ideal for serving when guests arrive, these easy-to-prepare dips from Angela Day will be perfect for a party.
On the menu:
Roasted carrot dip
White bean and artichoke dip
Pea and feta dip
Beetroot dip
Rolls with hot spinach dip
Chocolate hummus dip
ROASTED CARROT DIP
6-8 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
30ml olive oil
5ml ground cumin
5ml ground coriander
5ml caraway seeds
salt and pepper
10ml chopped garlic
5ml chopped red chilli (optional)
400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
45ml lemon juice
15ml tomato paste
30ml tahini paste
60ml extra olive oil
45ml toasted pine nuts for garnishing
chopped chilli for garnishing
Place the carrots in a small roasting tin.
Pour over olive oil and spices. Season well. Toss to coat.
Cover with foil and roast at 180°C for 30-40 minutes until carrots are soft. Remove and cool slightly.
Place in a food processor and add the garlic, chilli, chickpeas, lemon juice, tomato paste and tahini paste.
Process until smooth. With the machine running, pour in the olive oil. Adjust the seasoning to taste and serve, sprinkled with toasted pine nuts and chopped chilli if desired. Serves 6-8.
WHITE BEAN AND ARTICHOKE DIP
400g tin of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
285g bottle of marinated artichokes, drained
100g goat’s cheese with honey
5ml chopped garlic
30ml olive oil
30m lemon juice
30ml chopped dill
salt and pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a processor and process until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
Serves 8-10.
PEA AND FETA DIP
500g frozen peas
125g feta cheese
5ml chopped garlic
30ml lemon juice
15ml olive oil
15ml mint sauce
125ml mint leaves, chopped
salt and pepper
Place the peas in a bowl and pour boiling water over them.
Drain and place the peas in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serves 8-10.
BEETROOT DIP
300g cooked beetroot, cut into chunks
15ml olive oil
30ml balsamic glaze
salt and pepper
125ml sour cream
15ml lemon juice
15ml extra balsamic glaze
60ml chopped mint
Place the beetroot in a small roasting tin.
Pour over olive oil and balsamic glaze. Toss to coat. Season well. Roast at 180°C for 20-25 minutes. Remove and cool. Place in a food processor and add the sour cream, lemon juice, balsamic glaze and chopped mint. Process until smooth.
Serves 4-6.
ROLLS WITH HOT SPINACH DIP
1kg bought bread dough
250g cream cheese
125ml sour cream
285g bottle of marinated artichokes, drained and chopped
125ml grated Parmesan cheese
250ml grated cheddar cheese
200g spinach, cooked and chopped
125ml chopped basil leaves
10ml chopped garlic
5ml paprika
salt and pepper
beaten egg for glazing
Divide the bread dough into 10 golf-ball size balls.
Use any remaining dough to make bread sticks. Place the balls of dough slightly apart around a 30cm ovenproof casserole or pan. Cover and set aside to rise. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, artichokes, cheeses, spinach, basil, garlic and paprika in a bowl and mix well.
Season to taste. Once the dough has risen. Spoon the artichoke mixture into the middle. Brush the rolls with beaten egg.
Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes until the rolls are golden brown and cooked through.
Remove from the oven and serve warm. Serves 8-10.
CHOCOLATE HUMMUS DIP
400g tin of chickpeas, drained and well rinsed
30ml tahini paste
125ml Greek yoghurt
60ml cocoa powder
125ml honey
60ml maple syrup
30-40ml lemon juice
a pinch of salt
fruit for serving
Combine all the ingredients in a processor and process very well until smooth. Add more honey to taste if necessary. Serve with sliced fruit. Serves 8-10.
The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.