Dip It! Read Online Free PDF Page B

flavor. Here’s a change of pace that will make even the most fat-conscious guest at the party dive into the dip bowl, especially if served with reduced-fat chips or crudités. Drain the whey from yogurt, and the result is thick, creamy, and cheese-like—just the thing for turning into a dip.
what to dip
Potato chips, store-bought or homemade (page 171 or 174) • Broccoli and cauliflower florets, prepared for dipping (see page 85) • Carrot sticks • Celery sticks • Cherry tomatoes • Cucumber slices • Zucchini slices
1 quart plain low-fat (not nonfat) yogurt
2 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, crushed through a press, optional
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
    1. The day you will be serving the dip, line a sieve with paper towels and place over a large bowl (the bottom of thesieve should clear the bottom of the bowl by a few inches). Spoon the yogurt into the sieve. Place another paper towel on the yogurt, and top with a saucer that fits into the sieve. Refrigerate until about 1¾ cups whey has drained from the yogurt and the yogurt has thickened into a soft cheese-like consistency 2 to 4 hours. Discard the whey in the bowl.
    2. Mix the yogurt cheese, scallions, basil, parsley, garlic, if using, and the pepper in a medium bowl. Season with the salt. Cover and refrigerate to blend the flavors, at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day.
    3. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve chilled.
    Basil Caesar Dip
    makes about 2 cups
    MAKE-AHEAD : The dip can be prepared up to 1 day ahead.
    W hen researching an article on famous American foods, I was very surprised to learn that the first Caesar salad may have been more like a dip for Romaine lettuce leaves. This dip combines the flavors of Caesar salad dressing with basil, a very compatible herb.
what to dip
Crostini (page 180) • Breadsticks, store-bought or homemade (page 184) • Frozen artichoke hearts, thawed • Asparagus spears, prepared for dipping (see page 84) • Cherry tomatoes • Cucumber slices • Mushroom caps • Romaine lettuce hearts
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino Romano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus basil sprigs for garnish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon anchovy paste
1 garlic clove, crushed through a press
    1. Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, cheese, chopped basil, lemon juice, anchovy paste, and garlic in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate to blend the flavors, at least 1 hour, or up to 1 day.
    2. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and garnish with the basil sprigs. Serve chilled.

Spicy Salsas and Dips
    S alsa is the best friend a tortilla chip ever had. The word salsa means “sauce” in Spanish, showing that in Latin countries salsas are considered condiments for cooked food, not just for dipping tortilla chips. I’m glad that American ingenuity has made the most of the combination.
    There are two basic kinds of salsa, raw and cooked. Theraw versions are chunky with bits of tomato, onion, garlic, and, of course, chiles, among other ingredients. The cooked versions are often pureed to yield smooth salsas with heightened flavors. Bean dip and guacamole are close relatives to salsas, and you’ll find examples here. I have not included fruit salsas—which may be delicious served next to grilled salmon, but do nothing for a tortilla chip.
    For information on chiles, see page 8.
    Red Pumpkin-Seed Salsa
    makes 1½ cups
    MAKE-AHEAD : The salsa can be prepared up to 3 days ahead.
    P epián is really a mole-related cooking sauce rather than a salsa. Nonetheless, whenever I make it, I find myself dipping tortillas in it. It has a few steps, but none of them are difficult, and the result is a rust-red salsa with complex flavors hinting of chocolate and fruit.
what to dip
Tortilla chips,
store-bought or
homemade (page 176)
2 ancho chiles, stemmed, split, and seeded
½ cup unsalted