Appetizers – Dips

Chunky Crawfish Spread

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A rather more interesting dip.

Ingredients:

1 package (16 ounces) frozen cooked crawfish tails, thawed (Sure! use shrimp)
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 to 12 drops hot pepper sauce
Assorted crackers

Directions:

1. Chop crawfish.
2. Pat dry.
3. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
4. Add the peppers, onion, garlic, Creole seasoning, salt and hot pepper sauce; stir in the crawfish.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
6. Serve with crackers.

Yield: 3 cups.

Source:  Taste of Home

Note: The following spices may be substituted for 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning: 1/4 teaspoon each salt, garlic powder and paprika; and a pinch each of dried thyme, ground cumin and cayenne pepper.

Emerald Sauce

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This is the sauce for the Arizona Cardinals Chicken Quesadillas but would make a nice salad dressing, especially one with chicken or shrimp.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 c chopped fresh ginger
  • 3/4 c chopped green onion
  • 2 tap salt
  • 1 c vegetable oil

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree.

Serves: 1 1/2 cups

Source: sportsglutton.com

French Cream

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Use as a dressing for fruit salad/dessert or a dip for fruit pieces.

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 c powdered sugar
  • 1 c whipping cream
  • 1/4 c granulated sugar
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • Pineapple juice

Directions:

  1. Soften cream cheese and then whip with powdered sugar.
  2. Whip cream and sugar together until it forms soft peaks.
  3. Combine beaten cream cheese, whipped cream, lemon juice and zest
  4. Continue to beat, adding just enough pineapple juice to achieve desired consistency.
  5. Serve French Cream in pineapple shell.

Serves: Makes 3 cups

Source: foodnetwork.com – Paula-Deen

Cumin Raita

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A nice change for a sauce/dip with seafood or chicken.

Ingredients:

  • 2 c plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/3 c seeded cucumber, finely diced
  • 1/4 c red onion, finely diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 Tab fresh lime juice
  • 3 Tab capers, minced
  • 3 Tab cilantro, minced
  • 3 Tab dill, minced
  • 1 Tab cumin, ground
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground white pepper

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well.
  2. Garnish with Cilantro and cumin.

Serves: 3 cups

Source: Food and Wine, Andrew Zimmern’s Kitchen Adventures

Curry Sauce/Dip

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This is a good basic sauce/dip that is good on chicken, fish, shrimp and lamb as a main dish.

Ingredients: 

  • ½ c mayonnaise
  • ½ c sour cream
  • 1 Tab curry powder
  • 4 Tab chopped Major Grey chutney
  • 2 tsp grated orange peel

Directions: 

  1. Mix all ingredients until smooth.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hr.

Serves: 1 cup+

Source: CDKitchen – what’s cooking on line, submitted by Dena, USA

Easy Aioli

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Aioli sounds a lot fancier than garlic mayo!  Use this with vegetables, shrimp, chicken – anything that’s good with garlic.

Aioli Ingredients:

  • 4 garlic cloves, pressed
  • ½ Tab coarse kosher salt
  • 1 c mayonnaise
  • ¼ c olive oil
  • 2 Tab fresh lemon juice

Aioli Directions:

  1. Mash garlic and ½ teaspoon salt in small bowl until paste forms.
  2. Whisk in mayonnaise, olive oil, and lemon juice.
  3. Season to taste with coarse salt and pepper.
  4. Cover and chill.

Serves: Makes about 1 ¼ cup

Source: Amy Finely, Bon Appétit | July 2008

Creamy Sriracha Cocktail Sauce

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If you’re not familiar with Sriracha, start with a couple of teaspoons and taste it before you add the full tablespoon. This will get more heat as it sits in the fridge.

Creamy Sriracha Cocktail Sauce Ingredients: 

  • 1 c mayo or light mayo
  • ¼ c ketchup
  • 2 Tab fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 2 Tab Sriracha Sauce (more or less to taste)
  • ½ c finely chopped green onion

Creamy Sriracha Cocktail Sauce Directions:

  1. Finely chop the green onion.
  2. In a glass measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the mayo and ketchup.
  3. Stir in the lime juice, Sriracha sauce to taste, and finely chopped green onions.

Serves: 1 ½ cups

Sorce: KalynsKitchen.com.

Blue Cheese Butter

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I use this on steaks, chicken, sandwiches, or just about anything – I really like blue cheese.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb crumbled firm blue cheese (2 cups)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (or salted if that is what you have)
  • 1/4 c Port (optional, but it does make it really tasty)

Directions:

Gently mash together all ingredients in a bowl with a fork, leaving some texture.

Serves: Makes about 3 cup

Source: Gourmet | October 2003
Comments: Butter keeps, covered and chilled, 1 week. It will freeze.

 

Salsa Verde

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Dip it, just dip it!  Chips, shrimp, chicken bits, veggies.  Also, serve over eggs, chicken, fish, etc.  This sauce goes everywhere!

Ingredients:

  • ½ c parsley, leaves only
  • 1 handful fresh mint leaves
  • 2 Tab chives
  • 1 tsp. oregano
  • 2 Tab capers
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tsp. sage leaves
  • 2 Tab wine vinegar
  • zest and juice of one lemon
  • 1 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1/3 c Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients except the oil in the blender.
  2. Puree on high speed, slowly adding olive oil in a stream.
  3. Puree until the mixture is smooth and emulsified.

Serves: Makes 3/4 cup

Source: The Art of Food, Alisa Barry

 

Dill Mustard Sauce

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Gustav Anders was probably the best Scandinavian restaurant in Southern California.  (Scandia was a close second.)  This sauce is a must with poached salmon.

Ingredients:

  • ½ c Dijon mustard
  • ½ c sugar
  • 2 Tab plain or white wine vinegar
  • 2/3 c olive oil
  • ½ c fresh dill, finely chopped
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Place mustard in a bowl.
  2. Add sugar, vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper.
  3. As when making mayonnaise, add oil drop by drop, stirring with a wooden spoon.
  4. At the last minute, mix in chopped dill.
  5. Chill until serving.

Serves: 1 1/2 cups.

Source: Gustav Anders

Comment: Will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.