Chef's Corner: Snack or appetizer, dip into something tasty

From creamy to chunky, with chips or bread, for a snack or as a condiment, dips are delicious, but often expensive and full of salt and fat. Sure, those little plastic containers from the deli case are easy enough and definitely tasty, but why spend so much money when your fridge-chest favourites are simple to make at home, not to mention far healthier?

The following are three popular dips that used to be my own secret formulas, winning me much praise at potluck parties, and now the accolade can be all yours when you try them out yourself. All three can be stored for up to two weeks in an airtight container in the fridge and be reused in numerous ways; though I doubt leftovers will actually be a problem.

Best Hummus
This recipe took many weeks and tens of dollars to perfect it until it tastes identically to the hummus at Barakat. It can be eaten straight up or spread on pitas, wraps or deli sandwiches for a tasty alternative to mayo-based spreads. Try adding other flavourings to the hummus like dill or cayenne pepper; this delicious chickpea dip is open to as many creative possibilities as a blank canvas.
- 1 540 ml can of chickpeas, drained but not rinsed
- 2 tbsp tahini (ground sesame paste avail able in almost all grocery stores, but peanut butter will suffice in an emergency)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/3 water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper

Add chickpeas, tahini, chopped garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper to blender. (Food Processor is OK but blender provides a far smoother consistency) Blend chickpea mixture on High for 30 seconds then add oil and water and blend again until completely smooth, about 15 seconds. (Note: amounts of oil and water may differ depending on brand of chickpeas so until you are familiar with how much is needed, try adding only half amounts to start) Transfer to bowl to serve. Dress up with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of freshly chopped flat leaf parsley.

Easy Tzatziki
Many tzatziki recipes suggest that one should drain the yogurt and cucumber over night and while this particular recipes requires two hours for drainage, it certainly will not require overnight attention. This recipe is terrific as a dip for pita chips but, like hummus, is delicious on sandwiches and wraps. Similarly, the longer the tzatziki sits in the fridge, the better it tastes.
- 2 cups plain yogurt
- 5 cm English cucumber, quartered and very thinly sliced
- Juice of half a lemon
- 3 tbsp freshly chopped dill
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar

You will also need:
Quarter of clean tea towel, a dollar store is a great source for this. The conservationist in me will tell you to continue using the same tea towel after its been washed but in reality, I usually cut the towel in quarters and throw each piece away after one use.
- rubber band
- 2 sticks, be them skewers, pencils or chopsticks.
- 1 small-mouthed, deep vessel, a pint glass or Mason jar are perfect.

Scoop yogurt into centre of tea towel piece, bring four corners of tea towel together and tie tightly with rubber band. (Should look like quintessential “bag o' money”) Next, insert sticks through rubber band on opposite sides and dangle yogurt package into pint glass, Mason jar or what have you, with sticks as support to suspend it. Place this contraption in the refrigerator for two hours, as this will allow excess liquid to drain from the yogurt creating something that is often referred to as “Greek cheese.” (Note: Two hours is all that is required, however, no adverse effects will come of leaving it longer)

After two hours, undo the yogurt package and scrape what is left into a bowl with the back of a butter knife. Add sliced cucumber, copped dill, lemon juice, vinegar and garlic powder and stir to combine. Serve with Greek pitas cut into eighths.

Better Baked Spinach Dip
There is no denying that spinach dip is incredibly tasty, and though the texture and taste are often attributed to a base of lots of mayonnaise and even more cream cheese, spinach dip can taste wonderfully without a wealth of fat. This recipe calls for the dip to be baked but it can be eaten as is or, even better, poured over freshly cooked pasta for a deliciously creamy sauce that no one will believe isn't made with heavy cream.
- 2 cups cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 6 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped into 1cm dice
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced or pressed
- Salt
- Pepper
- Grated cheddar cheese
- 1 tbsp oil

In large skillet with lid, warm oil over medium heat then add spinach and sprinkle minced or pressed garlic over spinach. Turn heat to low, cover skillet and allow spinach and garlic to cook for about 5 minutes or until spinach is very wilted. (Note: The spinach will overwhelm the skillet but shrinks considerably while cooking.) Meanwhile in blender, blend cottage cheese on High for 2 minutes. Next, combine blended cream cheese and spinach and garlic in large bowl, add onions, sour cream and season to taste. When ready to bake, transfer portions into single serving casserole (available at dollar stores) top with grated cheddar cheese and bake in preheated, 375 oven for 15 minutes. Recipe will make about four standard single serving casserole portions.