Dip It! (8 page)

1.
Build a charcoal fire in a outdoor grill and let burn until the coals are covered with white ash. Or preheat a gas grill on High.

2.
Place the corn on the grill, cover, and grill, turning occasionally, until the husks are charred, about 20 minutes. Take care not to burn the husks down to the kernels. Remove from the grill and let cool until easy to handle.

3.
Meanwhile, place the tomatoes in a colander and toss with the ½ teaspoon salt. Let stand in the sink or a larger bowl to drain off excess liquid, about 30 minutes.

4.
Remove and discard the husks and silk from the ears. Trim the bottom of each ear so it can be held upright, stand the ear on end, and cut the kernels from the cob.

5.
Mix the corn, tomatoes, scallions, jalapeño, cilantro, and garlic in a medium bowl. Stir in about half of the cheese, reserving the rest for garnish. Season with salt. Cover and refrigerate to blend the flavors at least 1 hour, or up to 1 day.

6.
Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with the reserved cheese and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Ranchero Salsa

makes 2½ cups

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

T
he preferred salsa of the Mexican ranchers in the north, this cooked salsa usually covers a plate of huevos rancheros. It makes a great dip for tortilla chips too.

what to dip

Tortilla chips,
store-bought or
homemade (page 176) •
Corn chips

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

1 teaspoon toasted and ground cumin seeds (see page 10)

½ teaspoon dried oregano

One 14½-ounce can chopped tomatoes in juice

3 mild chiles, such as Anaheim, New Mexico, or poblano, roasted (see page 9), peeled, seeded, and chopped

Salt to taste

1.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the cilantro, cumin, and oregano.
Add the tomatoes, with their juice, and the chiles. Bring to a boil and cook until the salsa is thickened, about 5 minutes.

2.
Transfer to a food processor and pulse until chunky. Season with salt. Transfer to a serving bowl and cool completely. (The salsa can be prepared up to 1 day ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated.)

3.
Garnish with cilantro and serve at room temperature.

Red Flame Salsa

makes about 3 cups

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

A
ncho chiles give this salsa its moderately high heat level and deep red color. If you wish, add 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels or canned beans to the salsa to provide extra substance.

what to dip

Tortilla chips,
store-bought or
homemade (page 176)

4 ancho chiles, stemmed, split and seeded

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

One 14½-ounce can tomatoes in juice, drained, juice reserved

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Salt to taste

1.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chiles skin side down in the skillet and cook until they are a deeper shade and more pliable, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, add enough hot water to cover, and put a saucer on top of the chiles to submerge them. Let stand until softened, about 20 minutes, then drain well.

2.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeño, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onion softens, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

3.
Combine the drained tomatoes and chiles in a blender. Puree, adding enough of the reserved tomato juice to reach the desired thickness. Transfer to a medium bowl, stir in the onion mixture, and season with salt. Let cool to room temperature. (The dip can be prepared up to 2 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated.)

4.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve at room temperature.

Three-Bean Salsa

makes 6 cups

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

L
ooking for a bean salsa to serve a crowd? Try this colorful mix of black, pinto, and garbanzo beans, accented with tomatoes, chiles, and onion. If you want to stretch it further, add 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese.

what to dip

Tortilla chips,
store-bought or
homemade (page 176) •
Corn chips

One 15½- to 19-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

One 15½- to 19-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

One 15½- to 19-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed

2 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, preferably 1 red and 1 yellow, seeded and cut into l/2-inch dice

1 red bell pepper, roasted (see page 12), peeled, seeded, and diced

1 mild chile, such as Anaheim or poblano, or green bell pepper, roasted (see page 9 or page 12), peeled, seeded, and diced

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed through a press

3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

1.
Mix the black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, tomatoes, red pepper, chile, jalapeño, onion, garlic, oregano, vinegar, and oil in a large bowl.

2.
Transfer half of the salsa to a food processor and pulse until fairly smooth. Stir back into the bowl. Season with salt. Cover and refrigerate to blend the flavors, at least 1 hour, or up to 1 day.

3.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Black Bean and Bacon Dip

makes 5 cups

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

H
ere’s a versatile bean dip that can be served hot or cold. By varying the amount of liquid, you can make it as thick or thin as you like.

what to dip

Tortilla chips,
store-bought or
homemade (page 176) •
Corn chips

6 bacon slices

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

One 14½-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice

Two 15½- to 19-ounce cans black beans, drained, liquid reserved

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Sour cream for garnish

1.
Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp and browned, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain and cool.

2.
Pour out all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the skillet and return to medium heat. Add the onion, green
pepper, and jalapeño. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the cumin and oregano. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the beans and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the beans are heated through, about 10 minutes.

3.
Chop the bacon. Transfer half of the bean mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. Stir back into the skillet, along with the bacon. If desired, thin with some of the reserved canned bean liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.

4.
Transfer to a serving dish and top with a large dollop of sour cream. Serve chilled.

HOT BLACK BEAN AND BACON DIP
The dip can also be served hot. Heat 2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat or vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the prepared dip and cook, stirring often, until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Smoky Chorizo and Chipotle Dip

makes about 2½ cups

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

T
his dip gets a double dose of smoky flavor from chorizo sausage and chipotle chiles en adobo. Use smoked chorizo sausage, which is hard and can be diced. Fresh chorizo which is like a very spicy bulk sausage, isn’t right for this dip. You’ll find chorizo at Latino grocers and larger supermarkets.

what to dip

Tortilla chips,
store-bought or
homemade (page 176) •
Corn chips

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 ounces smoked chorizo sausage, finely chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Two 15½- to 19-ounce cans pinto beans