Refreshing Dips

Artichoke Dip

2 bottle artichoke hearts – in oil, drained, about 15 ounces
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
¼ cup mayonnaise
juice of ½ lemon, about 1 to 1½ tablespoons
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
4 slices bacon, cooked, drained, crumbled
salt and pepper

Drain and mash the artichoke hearts with 6 – 10 pulses of the food processor
Combine well with the onion, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and cayenne – pulse 3-4 times
Add the crumbled bacon and pulse 2 times
Taste for salt and add pepper as desired
Chill for 1 to 2 hours before serving


Greco Sicilian Dip

1 can cannellini beans, drained well
¼ cup sun dried tomato in oil, drained
¼ cup capers, in brine preferable
1 small red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
½ cup, good quality, Feta cheese - crumbled
½ tsp cayenne pepper
4 tbsp hot water – to help the mixture come together
Salt, check carefully due to Feta, and pepper

Chopped flat leave Italian parsley for garnish

Place the beans in a food processor along with the sun dried tomato, capers, onion and garlic. Pulsate 6-7 times.
Add the olive oil and lemon juice, pulsate on and off for a few seconds.
Add the Feta cheese, cayenne pepper and pulsate until the puree is smooth.
If needed, loosen the consistency with the hot water.
Check for salt and pepper and finish
Decorate with chopped parsley
This dip can be made 1-2 days before, refrigerated, and served cold or at room temperature.


Roasted Garlic Herb Dip

2 heads garlic – about 3 inches wide
½ cup extra virgin olive oil sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F

Put oven rack in middle position
Cut off and discard ½ inch from tops of garlic heads, exposing cloves.
Put garlic in a pie plate with oil, herbs, salt, and pepper and cover plate tightly with a double layer of foil.
Roast until garlic is golden and tender, 1 to 1¼ hours.
When garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze cloves into a bowl and pour oil through a fine-mesh sieve onto garlic.
Mash well with a fork and season with salt.
Makes about ½ cup of dip