When I decided to write a column about summer cocktail hour dips, I had to make three so I could use the gilded tripartite serving piece that I remember from all the dinner parties my parents used to host when I was a child! No one was unhappy with that decision when I served them recently, having made them for the photo I took for publication. Last week’s Berkshire Eagle column can be found here, or below.

DIP, DIP, HOORAY!

by Elizabeth Baer

Summertime calls for recipes that don’t require the stove or oven, if possible! I will still make bread throughout the season, and it really becomes a conundrum whether to bake in the morning before the day heats up or right before bed so the kitchen can cool off overnight. Planning ahead for entertaining can help you keep your (kitchen) cool.

It’s also a time for long, lazy afternoons of snacking and extended cocktail hours as the sun lingers well into the later hours. And after lots of outdoor activity during the day, my body craves something salty, like chips, which can become a more substantial hors d’oeuvre with a dip or three.

Recently we had the occasion to be with our two granddaughters together. This doesn’t happen as much as we would like, because one, almost 4 years old, lives in New Jersey, and the other, almost 3, lives in Michigan. Both of them love “dip-dip” which is what they call anything from ketchup to hummus to ranch dressing. So when we were together, I decided to capitalize on this idea, as well as the fact that when they do have time together, it’s hard to get them to stop running around for anything, so a chip and a dip on the go is a great way to keep them from getting “hangry!” With three different recipes, even as the girls zipped here, there, and everywhere, grabbing a bite every so often, the adults happily munched on a variety of chips and veggies dipped in these combos.

CHUTNEY AND SOUR CREAM DIP

Makes about 1 cup, can be doubled

INGREDIENTS:

¼ cup mango chutney
¾ cup sour cream
½ teaspoons curry powder, or more to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Place the chutney in a small bowl. If there are any large chunks of mango in the chutney, be sure to chop them into small pieces before mixing with the sour cream. Add the sour cream and curry powder and stir to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Different versions of curry powder, and even different brands of the same type, can vary in strength and spiciness, so depending on what you use, it may need more than ½ teaspoon.

If possible, allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow the curry flavor to bloom. Serve with potato chips and crudités.

IT’S EASY BEING GREEN DIP

Makes 1-1½ cups depending on the size of the avocados, can be doubled

INGREDIENTS:

2 avocados
½ cup store-bought salsa verde
Zest of ½ lime, if needed
1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, if needed
Hot sauce to taste, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

Split the avocados, remove the pit, and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash well with a fork. Mix in the salsa verde. Some brands of salsa verde are spicy and have plenty of lime flavor, while others are quite mild. Taste and add the lime zest and juice, zesting and juicing directly into the bowl, if needed. Add hot sauce if desired.

Serve with tortilla chips and crudités.

CREAMY BEANY (AND EVEN VEGANY) DIP

Makes about 1¼ cups, can be doubled

INGREDIENTS:

One 15-ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed
4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes in oil, both tomatoes and oil, about ½ cup
Zest of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt, if needed
¼ teaspoon garlic powder, if needed

DIRECTIONS:

Place the beans and sun-dried tomatoes with their oil into a food processor. Purée the beans and tomatoes until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. This can also be accomplished in a bowl with an immersion blender, although it won’t be quite as smooth. Use a Microplane or similar fine-cut grater to zest the lemon directly into the mixture. Juice the lemon and strain out the seeds before adding to the bowl, and stir to combine. Different brands of sun-dried tomatoes with have different flavorings, so taste before add salt and garlic powder if needed.

Serve with pita chips and crudités.

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DIP-a-dee-doo-dah!