Mediterranean Dips Your Way

It’s summer, and with that comes an array of tasty summer dishes. A fresh, light taste is best for to refresh yourself from the heat outdoors, and sometimes the heat makes us so exhausted we just don’t want to cook. So what’s easy? Dips are the way to go. We all love our pita and hummus, but sometimes it can get a bit old. NYMM has some great ways to make your hummus dips really shine!

Here are some simple ways to jazz up classic Mediterranean dips, perfect on a warm, summer day! Serve them as a meal with toasted pita, or as an appetizer with pita chips. How you spice and serve them is all up to you!

Hummus Base
Ingredients:

•      1 – 15 oz. can chickpeas OR 2 cups cooked chickpeas
•      ¼ cup tahini
•      ¼ cup lemon juice
•      2 garlic cloves, minced
•      3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
•      1 tsp. cumin
•      ½ tsp. salt
•      ¼ cup chickpea liquid (saved from can or from boiling process)

Instructions:

1.     If using dried chickpeas, soak overnight (or for about 8 hours). After soaking, put chickpeas in a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook until tender, about 1-1/2 hours. If using canned chickpeas, drain well.
2.     Add the tahini, garlic, and lemon juice to food processor. Blend until garlic is pureed and the mixture looks smooth.
3.     Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth, adding additional oil or saved chickpea liquid to reach desired consistency.
4.     Add salt to taste.

Hummus Your Way – #1
Ingredients:

•      1 tsp. sumac
•      1 tsp. dried or fresh mint, chopped
•      ¼ feta cheese, crumbled
•      ½ tsp. lemon zest

Instructions:

1.     Add sumac, mint and lemon zest. Mix to combine.
2.     Add feta cheese, folding carefully to combine.

Hummus Your Way – #2
Ingredients:

•      3 tbsp. Kalamata olives, pitted and minced (can substitute olives of choice)
•      2 tbsp. parsley, chopped
•      2 tbsp. roasted red peppers, chopped

Instructions:

1.     Add Kalamata olives, parsley, and roasted red peppers. Stir to combine.
   

Roasted Eggplant Dip
Ingredients:

•      2 large eggplants
•      3 tbsp. lemon juice
•      3 garlic cloves, minced
•      ¾ tsp. cumin
•      1 tbsp. parsley, chopped
•      1 tsp. salt

Instructions:

1.     Set oven to 400°.
2.     Wash eggplants and place on baking sheet.
3.     Prick each eggplant with a fork several times, this is to release steam during the baking process.
4.     Bake eggplants for 45 min. to an hour, until eggplants look deflated and shriveled and are soft to the touch. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
5.     Cut eggplants in half and use a spoon to scrape out the flesh. Discard skin.
6.     Use a food processor to blend the flesh to desired consistency. It doesn’t have to be pureed.
7.     Add lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and parsley. Blend to combine.

Roasted Eggplant Dip Your Way – #1
Ingredients:

•      1 medium-sized red onion, roughly chopped
•      1 green pepper, chopped
•      1 red pepper, chopped
•      1 large tomato, chopped
•      ¼ cup whole chickpeas, chopped

Instructions:

1.     Add onion, green pepper, red pepper, tomato, and chickpeas to eggplant dip, stir to combine.
2.     It’s preferable to not puree the dip for this recipe. Instead, you can simply chop the flesh of the eggplant.

Roasted Eggplant Dip Your Way – #2
Ingredients:

•      ¼ cup toasted pistachios, chopped
•      1 tsp. lemon zest
•      1 tsp. sumac
•      ½ tsp. coriander

Instructions:

1.     Put a small pan over medium heat. Add pistachios and cook for about 2 minutes. Don’t leave the pistachios alone–they burn quickly. If you begin to smell them, it’s a good sign that they’re almost done.
2.     Let pistachios cool slightly before chopping.
3.     Add pistachios, lemon zest, sumac and coriander to eggplant dip. Stir to combine.

Yogurt Dip
Ingredients:

•      2 cups whole milk yogurt
•      2 cloves of garlic, minced
•      ½ tsp. salt

Instructions:

1.     Add garlic and salt to yogurt, stir to combine.

Yogurt Dip Your Way – #1
Ingredients:

•      1 tsp. dried mint
•      1 small cucumber, thinly sliced or chopped
•      ½ tsp. lemon zest

Instructions:

1.    Add mint, cucumber and lemon zest to yogurt. Stir to combine.

Yogurt Dip Your Way – #2
Ingredients:

•      1 tbsp. dill, minced
•      1 tsp. sumac
•      ½ tsp. pepper

Instructions:

1.    Add dill, sumac and pepper. Stir to combine.

Images by Josh Guirguis

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