“Hey, how come people don’t have dip for dinner ? Why is it only a snack, why can’t it be a meal, you know ? I don’t understand stuff like that.” We don’t understand either, but it’s also hard to fathom how this perfectly reasonable question was used as a laugh line on Seinfeld years ago. (It was asked by Elaine’s lug of a boyfriend David Puddy; she tried to break up with him in the same scene. )
When did dip become a joke ? Clearly it was after the great dip rush of the early ’ 50 s, which began when a recipe for clam dip presented on television’s Kraft Music Hall caused such excitement that the next day New York sold out of canned clams.
On the other coast, in 1952, a California housewife mixed an envelope of Lipton’s onion soup mix into sour cream and set off a similar craze. According to Jean Anderson’s The American Century Cookbook: The Most Popular Recipes of the 20 th Century, “Word of the new dip spread through Los Angeles faster than a canyon fire, newspapers printed the recipe, onion soup mix sales soared, and Lipton executives, a continent away in New Jersey, were ecstatic. They tracked down the recipe, perfected it, and beginning in 1958, printed it on every box of Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix.” It was known as California Dip.
The Golden Age of Dip lasted well into the ’ 80 s, when cookouts and cocktail parties across America included such classics as French onion, hot crab, ranch and various cheese dips, such as Roquefort sour cream.
But what was once a homemade specialty was then mass-produced, and more easily available. We kind of overdid it, until dip and chips took on a junk-food status.
It was a dark time, when a person had to sneak around just to eat a whole container of grocery store dip with a bag of Ruffles.
But today no one would frown on Carol Murphy Clyne, visiting instructor at the Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, N. Y., for having an extra serving of the modern version of chips and dips she recently enjoyed at chef Thomas Keller’s restaurant, Per Se, in New York.
“My husband and I had chips thinly sliced on a mandoline, with black truffle oil and a delicious creme fraiche dip,” she said. “It was a little snack to go with drinks before dinner.” And that little snack, Clyne said — fresh, simple, a bit exotic — is representative of a new era. The dip-and-chip combo of the 21 st century has evolved, reflecting international culinary influences and a new sophistication and ease. This dip from Chicago Tribune assistant food editor Joe Gray is easily adaptable with more garlic or chopped herbs, if you like. Try it with Italian toasted bread slices or your favorite chip.
Roasted Red Pepper Dip 3 large red bell peppers 2 cloves garlic, unpeeled 1 / 2 to 1 cup ricotta cheese, drained, divided use 1 / 2 to 1 teaspoon salt For serving, pita crisps, kettle chips or toast points (made from very thin slices of bread brushed with olive oil ) Heat broiler or grill. Roast peppers and garlic cloves on a foil-covered broiler rack, turning as needed, until skins blacken on all sides, about 30 minutes. Place peppers in a small brown paper bag (or place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap ) until cool. Remove skin, seeds and membranes. Place peppers in bowl of a food processor. Squeeze roasted garlic out of skins into the food processor bowl. Pulse until nearly pureed. Add 1 / 2 cup of the ricotta cheese and salt to taste; pulse until well blended, adding more cheese, if needed for dipping consistency. Serve with chips or toast points. Nutrition information: Each tablespoon contains 31 calories (38 percent from fat ), 1 g fat (1 g saturated ), 5 mg cholesterol, 3 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 107 mg sodium and 1 g fiber. This dip from test kitchen director Donna Pierce, inspired by the sandwich, always earns great reviews.
BLT Dip 4 slices bacon 3 green onions, thinly sliced 1 / 4 cup mayonnaise 1 / 4 cup plain yogurt 1 / 4 cup arugula, chopped 1 / 4 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels. In a food processor, combine green onions, mayonnaise, yogurt, arugula, salt and black pepper to taste; pulse until chunky. Transfer to a medium bowl. Crumble bacon into mayonnaise mixture and stir to combine. Gently stir in tomatoes. Makes about 3 cups. Tribune food and wine critic Bill Daley loves this recipe, adapted from the late Barbara Tropp’s The Modern Art of Chinese Cooking. Tropp wrote: “I like it cold, paired with toasted triangles of pita bread brushed with olive oil and garlic.” The eggplant can be baked in advance; the flavors become more pronounced if the dip is made ahead and let sit for several hours or overnight.
Chinese Eggplant Dip 1 firm eggplant 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 1 (1-inch ) piece ginger root, peeled and minced 1 green onion, minced, PLUS 1 tablespoon sliced green onion tops, for garnish 1 / 2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes 3 tablespoons soy sauce 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon hot water 1 teaspoon rice vinegar 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil Heat oven to 475 degrees. Prick eggplant with a fork; place in a baking dish. Bake, turning once, until eggplant gives easily when pressed with a spoon, 20 to 40 minutes, depending on size; cool. Cut off eggplant’s stem end; cut eggplant in half lengthwise. Peel; drain off any liquid. Cut eggplant into large chunks; puree in food processor or blender. Set aside.
Combine garlic, ginger, minced green onion and red pepper flakes in a small bowl; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, water and vinegar; stir to dissolve sugar.
Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat; add vegetable oil, swirling to glaze pan. Reduce heat to medium.
Add garlic mixture; stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add soy-sugar mixture; heat, stirring, until it boils around edges. Stir in eggplant; heat thoroughly. Adjust seasonings, if desired. Stir in sesame oil. Spoon eggplant mixture into a serving bowl.
Cool; cover tightly. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Sprinkle sliced green onion rings on top.
Makes about 1 1 / 2 cups.
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