dips - The Kitchen Buzzz

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Don’t you just love starter dips, hummuses and tapenades? Since you can make them a day ahead, they’re easy to make and practical. Enjoy this quick and delicious tapenade during the holidays and whenever…. Happy Holidays to All!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted
3/4 cups black olives, pitted
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon capers, drained & chopped
4 anchovy fillets
6 dried small figs (preferably Calmyra varietal)
1/4 cup olive oil
Crackers, mozzarella balls (bocconcini) or other cheese, cranberries or nuts.

Directions:

1. In a food processor, combine the olives, garlic, capers, anchovies, figs and olive oil.

2. Pulse-blend until the tapenade is pureed but still a little coarse in texture.

3. Taste and, if needed, add salt. You may not need salt due to the anchovies.

4. Serve immediately with your favorite crackers, mozzarella balls, cranberries and/or nuts.

5. Alternatively, store in a glass or porcelain bowl, covered tightly with plastic wrap in refrigerator, and serve within 1 to 2 days.

Text & Photograph ©2023 Nancy DeLucia Real

Beet Tzatziki

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Prep time: 10 minutes
Makes: 2-1/2 cups tzatziki

Tzatziki (Greek) is also known as cacik (Turkish). It is a dip or sauce with a yogurt base and found in Southeastern Europe and the Middle East.

In Greece, classic Tzatziki is made with yogurt, chopped cucumbers, salt and garlic. It’s served as a cold appetizer (mezze) and usually accompanied by pita bread. People also enjoy tzatziki as a side dish or sauce on souvlaki (meat on a skewer) or gyros (sliced meat wrapped in pita bread).

A few weeks ago, in Athens, Greece, I was served beet tzatziki and I loved it. Here’s my version of it (it’s pretty authentic). This is an easy appetizer for Mothers’ Day!

Ingredients:
Two medium whole beets (peeled, each wrapped in aluminum foil & baked in a 400°F oven for 40 minutes), cooled & cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (whole or low-fat milk)
1 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, peeled & crushed
Juice from 1 to 2 lemons
2 tablespoons tahini paste

Instructions:
1. In a glass blender (do not use a plastic blender or food processor or it will become permanently stained by beats), place cubed beets, yogurt, salt, garlic, juice from 1 lemon and tahini paste.

2. Pulse-blend a few times. You will need a spatula to scrape down sides and stir ingredients.

3. Repeat pulse-blending and scraping/stirring until the tzatziki dip is uniform.

4. Taste and adjust salt and lemon levels.

5. Transfer the beet tzatziki to a glass bowl, cover with plastic and refrigerate up to a day ahead.

6. Serve beet tzatziki with pita wedges as an appetizer (mezze). Alternatively, serve it as a side to grilled meat, chicken or fish or as part of a vegetarian/vegan meal.
Text & Photograph ©2023 Nancy DeLucia Real