Savoury Dips 2
Basil & Avocado Dip-Ingredients:
3 cups fresh basil leaves, 2 small or one large avocado, 1 cup pine nuts, 1 teaspoon crushed garlic, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoon olive oil, salt and black pepper to taste.
Method: Wash basil leaves, scoop flesh from avocado/s, add all ingredients to a blender, except pine nuts and seasoning, till smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in pine nuts, keeping a few for garnish.
Bean Dip Ingredients:
¼ cup Tahini, 1 clove garlic, 1 cup vegan cream cheese, soy milk to thin if needed, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, salt and black pepper to taste, 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley + parsley to garnish, 2 peeled and roughly chopped onions, 1 cup of raw soybeans that have been soaked overnight and cooked till tender.
Method: Excluding the parsley, puree ingredients till smooth, chill, garnish with parsley.
Chickpea Paste (Hummus)-Ingredients:
500g chickpeas, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons Tahini, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, 3 cloves chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
Method: Soak chickpeas overnight, rinse, then simmer in a large pot with plenty of water till tender-about 2 hours, removing any scum that may form, drain, reserve a few for garnish. Puree with other ingredients, transfer to a serving bowl, indent with the back of a large spoon, chill.
Extra ingredients to fill indent:
1 tablespoon each olive oil and lemon juice, 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley. Put olive oil and lemon juice in a jar, shake vigorously, spoon into the indent. Toss together parsley, arrange that in a circle on top. Usually eaten with fresh chunks of bread, but also delicious with julienne vegetables.
Cucumber Dip Ingredients:
3 cups finely chopped & peeled cucumber, 5 fresh mint leaves, 1 teaspoon paprika, 5 tablespoons olive oil, 2 cloves garlic chopped, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 6 slices stale white bread, ground black pepper & salt to taste, 1 dessert spoon fresh chopped dill.
Method: Remove crusts from bread, discard them, soak the bread and squeeze it dry. Puree with oil, garlic, juice, cucumber and dill till smooth, regulate consistency with a drop more lemon juice or water if desired, chill about 3 hours, dust with paprika and garnish with mint leaves.
But pleasures are like poppies spread, You seize the flower, it's bloom is shed; Or, like the snowfall in the river, A moment white, then melts forever. Robert Burns, also known as Rabbie Burns the Bard of Ayrshire, the national poet and lyricist of Scotland.