Creamy Sesame Turmeric Dip by Alison Roman

The creamiest dip that I ever did eat, in fact. This largely simple spread includes three creamy ingredients: cream cheese, sour cream, and tahini. Not only that, but we’re instructed to combine them in a food processor, which gives a dense whipped cream effect. 

The other step involves heating olive oil and sesame seeds in a skillet until toasted and fragrant. Once removed from heat, add ground turmeric and swirl to combine. Pour the mixture onto the fluffy creamy goodness that awaits in a serving bowl.  

I served the dip alongside almond crackers, pita crackers, and sugar snap peas. Next time I’ll also throw in radishes and carrots. The dip practically begged me for a wider veggie display. (For those of you wondering, TJ’s now sells vegan cream cheese and sour cream. Which means everyone can eat this dip!)

133 recipes cooked, 92 to go.

Garlicky Beet Dip with Walnuts by Alison Roman

Hot take: You have to really love beets, deep in your heart and without reservation, to also love, or even kind of like, this dip. The beet’s presence is as strong and consistent as your heart’s beat. It’s the first thing you taste, and the very last thing your mouth remembers. Yes, garlic and toasted walnuts and labne (or in my case, goat’s milk yogurt) have things to say. Their distinct flavors all have brief moments in the spotlight. But this is really a beet-centric dip, 2 cups of it to be exact. 

I made this dip, planning to take it to a friend’s home as an appetizer option. However, that friend wasn’t feeling well and cancelled an hour before we were to arrive for dinner. I was suddenly stuck with a giant bowl of this beet dip and a husband who, for lack of a better term, hates beets. He took one inquisitive bite and said, “that’s terrible.” Now to be fair, if you like beets, this dip isn’t terrible. I, for one, really enjoy roasted beets. But I have to concede that even I couldn’t have too much of this without feeling overwhelmed (beetwhelmed?). A full bite of pureed beets, even when interrupted by a cracker, is a lot to handle. 

We ended up rescheduling the dinner with friends a few nights later. The beet dip still sat largely untouched in my fridge. But sadly, I just couldn’t get myself to bring it with me. There the dip sat for about 5 days. Every time I opened the fridge door, I tried to avert my gaze as conflicting feelings of duty and aversion rose to the surface. I didn’t want to violate my standards for not wasting food. But I couldn’t get myself to eat it either. I don’t at all like to admit this, but I did end up tossing most of it in the trash. This is probably my least favorite dish so far. 

But again, if you’re an ardent beet lover, then you should give this a try. 

77 recipes cooked, 148 to go.

Labne with Sizzled Scallions and Chile (Almost Ranch) by Alison Roman

There’s a reason Alison’s friends call this “The Dip,” and why it’s the first recipe in nothing fancy. It’s fantastic. It’s creamy, spicy, and tangy. I served it as a dip with carrots, radishes, and almond crackers, and as a salad dressing. I savored every last drop. 

To make it, you just need about 20 minutes of time and some organic green garlic on hand. Which means this is decidedly a late spring, early summertime appetizer. Perfect for those early days of summer when the sun is finally setting later and the deck is once again warm enough for a dinner party. It’s for when you start craving chilled white wine instead of warm red. (Of course, yes, you can substitute scallions for green garlic and make it all year round. But letting this dish be seasonal adds a level of specialness to it all, I think.) 

Green garlic, you ask? Right, I hadn’t heard of it either. I knew about bulbed garlic, but I’d never seen green garlic. At least, I didn’t think I had. Towards the beginning of April, I noticed a small bin of what looked like extra long scallions appeared at Whole Foods. Their long fronds mimicked that of leeks, but they were thinner in size. I did some investigating, and sure enough, it was filled with bunches of green garlic. This recipe requires using the light green and white parts of it, just like a scallion. The thinly sliced garlic, though still potent, gave a more muted punch than would grated white garlic. 

The bits of green garlic are simmered in olive oil along with cilantro and red pepper flakes. Alison says to do this until everything begins to “sizzle and frizzle” and the oil turns a “fiery orange.” To keep anything from burning, the pot is set over medium-low heat. For me, the sizzle-and-frizzle began about 5 minutes in, but the fiery orange never did. I let it all sizzle for 15 or so minutes, but the oil remained a golden yellow. My only hypothesis is that my pepper flakes were not potent or quality enough? But I’m open to other theories. 

Once the oily mixture cools slightly, it’s swirled into a bowl of labne or yogurt and lemon juice, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and more fresh cilantro. (I used goat’s milk yogurt due to my stomach’s vendetta against cow’s milk.)

This one was a hit with the entire family.  

71 recipes cooked, 154 to go.