Category: Appetizers – Dips

Easy Aioli

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

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

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

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

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.

BLT Dip

There is something about bacon and tomatoes that is just plain good.

Ingredients:

  • 1 c sour cream
  • 1 c Miracle Whip
  • 1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 3 plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • lettuce
  • Assorted crackers or chips

Directions:

  1. Set aside a small amount of bacon, tomato, and green onion for garnish.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, remaining bacon, tomatoes and onions.
  3. Refrigerate overnight.
  4. Serve in a lettuce lined bowl.

Serves: 3 cups.

Source: Taste of Home 2014, Emalee Payne, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Tuna and Caper Dip

Tuna is a somewhat neglected ingredient for appetizers but can be very tasty.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can (5 ounces) tuna drained
  • 1/3 c sour cream
  • 1/3 c Miracle Whip
  • ¼ c fresh parsley leaves, chopped
  • 2 tsp capers, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tab brandy
  • ¼ tsp garlic salt
  • Pinch red-pepper flakes
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • potato chips and vegetable chips.

Directions:

In a medium bowl, flake tuna.

  1. Mix together tuna, sour cream, Miracle Whip, parsley, capers, lemon juice, brandy, garlic salt and red-pepper flakes.
  2. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Refrigerate in an airtight container overnight.
  4. Bring to room temperature and stir before serving.
  5. Serve with chips.

Serves: Makes 2 cups.

Source: Based on Welcome to MarthaStewart.com Everyday Food, January/February 2011 with a nod to Food.com.

Mustard Dip

This is also good on a ham sandwich.

Ingredients:

  • ½ c sour cream
  • ½ c mayonnaise
  • ½ c prepared mustard
  • ¼ c sugar
  • 2 Tab dried minced onion
  • 1 ½ Tab ranch salad dressing mix (½ envelope)
  • ½ Tab prepared horseradish

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, combine the ingredients.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Serve with pretzels.

Serves: 2 cups.

Source:Taste of Home 2014, Iola Egle, Bella Vista, Arkansas

Meaty Chicken Dip

Another good use for blue cheese!

  • Ingredients:
  • 3 c diced or shredded cooked chicken
  • 1 c mayonnaise
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ¼ c Frank’s hot pepper sauce
  • 1 c shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
  • 4 Tab green onions, minced
  • 1 Tab. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ c crumbled blue cheese
  • ½ c sour cream
  • 2 Tab diced chilies
  • 2 Tab chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • corn chips

Directions:

  1. In a small slow cooker combine chicken with all ingredients except blue cheese.
  2. Cook on medium for 2 hours, siring occasionally.

Alternately use a an oven proof dish in a 375° oven for about 20 minutes until cheese is bubbly.
When ready to serve sprinkle blue cheese over the top.

Serve warm with corn chips.

Serves: 10

Source: COOKS.CO, CrockPotGirls.com

OJ Honey Mustard Sauce

This is really good with pork or ham. Also works with chicken and fish – all round useful sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 c orange juice
  • 1 c mayonnaise
  • 1/4 c Dijon mustard
  • 2 Tab honey
  • 1 Tab white vinegar
  • 1/8 tsp paprika

Directions:

  1. Mix well.
  2. Refrigerate.

Source: Martha Stewart Everyday Food – June 2012

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