Middle Eastern Roasted Eggplant Dip

I am back!! 2.5 months, 5 casts, 1 surgery, 1 cancelled overseas trip and a bit of drama later - but I am back. I can't even begin to tell you how much I have missed my kitchen, my camera and this blog. Not to mention, having a shower with a shopping bag tied around your arm is the least fun thing in the world. EVER. Like seriously.

As you can imagine, it's been baby steps back in the kitchen. This Mediterranean eggplant dip is so easy - the food processor does most of the work. This recipe is inspired by a zucchini dip that one of my best friends made for me years ago. The true benefit of this dip is that it keeps vampires away. That's right - a small mountain of garlic, yogurt and really good quality extra virgin olive oil and you're home free.

Note - I added dried mint to this dip but it is actually better without it, so I don't recommend it in my ingredients list.

Yield - Serves 6
Prep Time - 10 Minutes
Cook Time - 40 Minutes

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2 comments LABELS: Appetizers, Dips and Spreads, Mediterranean, Vegetarian

Pico de gallo

Pico de gallo, or very simply "pico", is a fresh mild salsa that is a must have on taco nights. No chiles were harmed in the making of this salsa. It is mild enough for the meekest of Mexican food lovers.

Pico takes me back to warm Florida summers. Scratch that. HOT Florida summers. 

Tomatoes are the real star of this show, so make sure the tomatoes are ripe, firm and fresh. In this recipe I have used lemons instead of limes, just because I had them on hand. If you have limes, use limes. If you have Key limes, use Key limes. And give Florida a kiss for me. 

Pico de gallo

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4 comments LABELS: Dips and Spreads, Latin, Salads, Vegetarian

How to make Guacamole - like a boss!

Avocados are becoming plentiful again here in New Zealand and you know what that means? Guacermoles!

That's right, I like guacamole so much I have a nick name for it. It is not a very good nick name and I am aware of that but it is always spoken with much love. Guacamole has previously featured on this blog pretending to be a salad and hanging out in the background in my picadillo and lechon asado posts and I expect it will keep coming back over and over again greeting us like an old friend. 

Now this is not a historical or cultural lesson so I will not explain why I have guacamole as a side with Cuban food when it is very clearly Mexican. It just works, okay?

Serve it as a side, as a topping on tacos, as a dip or just grab a spoon and eat it plain! This guacamole recipe is really that good.

How to make Guacamole

Ingredients

3-4 Avocados
2-3 Cloves Garlic
1/2 Red Onion (Small)
1 Lemon
A few sprigs of Cilantro (Coriander)
1 Jalapeno Pepper (or any other fresh green chili pepper)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

Dice the onions, mince the garlic, chop the cilantro and the green chili pepper. You can use less onion if you find it too strong. I usually add some of the cilantro stocks in as well. The stocks have a lot of flavor, it is a shame to waste it.

Cut the avocados in half and remove the pit.

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5 comments LABELS: Dips and Spreads, Latin, Vegan, Vegetarian

Super Easy Hummus Recipe

Hummus is such a convenient thing to have in the refrigerator for those evenings when you want to come home and snack on something healthy, spread it on sandwiches or dip some veggies or whole wheat pita bread and you have a guilt free snack in under a minute. It is also incredibly easy to make. This is just a very basic recipe for hummus, you can make your own substitutions, additions or omissions based on flavor preferences. 

Homemade Hummus

Ingredients

1 can (small) Chickpeas (Garbanzo beans), drained

1 Lemon (Juiced)

Splash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Cloves Garlic, chopped (Optional)

2 Tablespoon Tahini (Get it here)

Water ( as needed)

Salt to taste

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Leave a Comment | LABELS: Dips and Spreads, Mediterranean, Vegan, Vegetarian

Homemade Boysenberry Jam (Refined-Sugar Free)

Whoever thought that frozen berries would be anything but mushy gross mess? The other day, I picked up some frozen boysenberries on whim and they weren’t half bad! I made a batch of deliciously refreshing Boysenberry jam.

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

1.5 Lb Boysenberries (Frozen or fresh)

2 Tablespoon Local Honey

1 Lemon

Method

1.     Zest and juice the lemon.

2.     In a medium sized saucepan, add the boysenberries, honey, lemon zest and juice.

3.     Turn the heat on medium-high and let it come to a boil.

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Leave a Comment | LABELS: Condiments, Dips and Spreads, Vegetarian