Dip It! (16 page)

2. Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve lined with a moistened paper towel into a bowl. Rinse out the pot. Return 1 cup of the liquid to the pot (freeze the remaining liquid to use as a shellfish stock, if desired), and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until the liquid has reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely.

3. Cook the garlic in the oil in a small skillet over medium heat until soft and golden, about 2 minutes. Let cool completely.

4. Remove the clams from the shells, discarding the shells. Pulse the clams in a food processor fitted with the metal blade until coarsely chopped.

5. With a rubber spatula, mash the cream cheese, cooled clam juice, and milk in a medium bowl until smooth. Mix in the clams, garlic with its oil, scallions, and parsley. Season carefully with salt and pepper (the clams may be salty). Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours, or overnight.

6. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve chilled.

CLASSIC CLAM DIP Drain one 7-ounce can minced clams, reserving the juice. Mash one 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature, with the clam juice and 1 tablespoon grated onion. Mix in the clams. Season with salt and pepper. Chill and serve.

Hot Crab-Salsa Dip

makes about 4 cups

MAKE-AHEAD
: The dip can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead, then baked just before serving.

B
ecause I get so many requests whenever I serve this dip, I have gotten in the habit of printing out the recipe before the party. Be sure to use a very thick salsa. If it seems watery, drain in a wire sieve before using. Shrimp salsa dip sounds like a good idea too, but, unfortunately, shrimp can easily turn tough if heated for too long—stick to the crab version.

what to dip

Potato chips, store
-bought or homemade
(page 171 or 174) •
Tortilla chips, store
-bought or homemade (page
176) • Flatbread
crisps • Broccoli
florets, prepared for
dipping (see page 85) •
Celery sticks • Cherry
tomatoes

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup chunky tomato salsa
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pound fresh crabmeat, picked over to remove cartilage and flaked
Hot red pepper sauce
cup fresh bread crumbs, preferably from day-old French or Italian bread

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 1-quart round baking dish.

2. With a rubber spatula, mash the cream cheese, mayonnaise, salsa, and Worcestershire sauce in a medium bowl until combined. Stir in the crabmeat. Season with hot pepper sauce. Spread in the baking dish. (The dip can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead, covered tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerated.)

3. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the dip. Bake until the dip is bubbling, about 30 minutes or slightly longer if refrigerated. Serve hot.

Two-Salmon Dip

makes about 2 cups

MAKE-AHEAD
: The dip can be prepared up to 1 day ahead.

D
efinitely a sophisticated dip, this is what I would serve for a special party where plenty of champagne is flowing. It also makes a great dip for a brunch.

what to dip

Potato chips, store
-bought or homemade
(page 171 or 174) •
Matzo crackers •
Bagel chips •
Cucumber slices

Two 8-ounce containers whipped cream cheese
3 tablespoons milk
4 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, such as Nova (see Note), finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
2 ounces salmon caviar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Combine the whipped cream cheese and milk in a medium bowl and mash with a rubber spatula until smooth. Fold in the salmon and chives, then the caviar, being careful not to burst it. Season with pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour, or up to 1 day (if the chilled dip is too thick, thin with additional milk).

2. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with chives. Serve chilled.

NOTE: I usually make this dip with thinly sliced delicatessen-style cold-smoked salmon. However, it is also delicious with flaked hot-smoked salmon fillet or steak.

Cajun Shrimp and Artichoke Dip

makes 3 ½ cups

MAKE-AHEAD
: The dip can be prepared up to 1 day ahead.

I
f there was ever a crowd-pleasing dip, this is it. Spicy but not too wild, with chunks of shrimp and artichokes, it is the perfect dunk for everything from chips and crackers to crudités.

what to dip

Potato chips, store
-bought or homemade
(page 171 or 174) •
Tortilla chips, store
-bought or homemade
(page 176) • Baguette
slices • Crostini (page
180) • Flatbread crisps
• Carrot sticks •
Celery sticks •
Cherry tomatoes • Cucumber
slices • Mushroom
caps • Zucchini slices

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning (see below) or salt-free store-bought seasoning
8 ounces cooked, peeled, and deveined shrimp, coarsely chopped
Two 6-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
cup drained and coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, and Cajun Seasoning in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, and scallions, mixing well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate to blend the flavors, at least 1 hour, or overnight.

2. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve chilled.

CAJUN SEASONING Mix 2 tablespoons sweet paprika, preferably Hungarian, 1 tablespoon dried basil, 1 tablespoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon ground hot red (cayenne) pepper. Makes about
cup. Use as a seasoning for dips, popcorn, salads, grilled foods, and in Cajun and Creole cooking.

Dilled Shrimp Spread

makes about 2¾ Cups

MAKE-AHEAD
: The spread can be prepared up to 1 day ahead.

F
or an elegant spread that comes together fast, spring for precooked shrimp at the market, and make this. For years, it was a staple at my catering company, piped onto cucumber slices or used as a filling for baked pastry hors d’oeuvres. Now I serve it as one of my favorite spreads.

what to spread

Baguette slices •
Crostini (page 180) •
Pita bread wedges •
Pita Toasts (page 179) •
Cucumber slices

12 ounces cooked shrimp, finely chopped
One 12-ounce container whipped cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus dill sprigs for garnish
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Hot red pepper sauce to taste

1. With a rubber spatula, mash the shrimp, cream cheese, lemon juice, chopped dill, and Worcestershire sauce in a medium bowl until combined. Season with hot pepper sauce. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours, or overnight.

2. Just before serving, garnish with dill sprigs. Serve chilled.

Ham and Swiss Cheese Spread

makes about 2½ cups

MAKE-AHEAD
: The spread can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.

A
re the ingredients for this spread prosaic? Maybe. But some food combinations just can’t be ignored, and ham and Swiss is at the top of the list. Try leftovers spread on toast and broiled until bubbling.

what to spread

Crisp rye crackers •
Rye or pumpernickel
bread slices, toasted •
Flatbread crisps

One 3-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
½ pound smoked ham, finely chopped in a food processor
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon shredded onion (use the large holes on a box grater)

1. With a rubber spatula, mash the cream cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, and horseradish in a medium bowl until smooth. Mix in the ham, Swiss cheese, and onion. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours, or overnight.