Aubergine, Walnut, Paprika Dip

Tzaziki

Sundried Tomato & Parsley Dip

Aubergine, Walnut, Paprika Dip

When I was a child, aubergines were to me a vegetable whose reason of existence was impossible to understand! I loved moussaka, but I found too oily the other dishes made with aubergines: aubergine is like a sponge, so unless grilled, it tends to absorb tons of oil, leaving a greasy aftertaste. But slice it, brush slices with olive oil and grill them, and you’ll definitely change your mind!

After my relationship with aubergines was rekindled, I “discovered” tons of recipes with it, one of which was this dip: velvety due to the grilled aubergine, crunchy from the ground walnuts, and with a bit of a kick from the spicy paprika paste it contains!

Ideas for enjoying your dip:

I treat this dip as I do tzatziki, and dill-dip. That is, I consider it perfect as it is, on a thick slice of whole-wheat bread, as a meal (with a bit of cottage- or feta cheese it becomes more filling, though not vegan-friendly anymore). And, just like tzatziki, it’s great with a number of other things:
- with French fries
- with chicken
- with pork, lamb or veal, of course (not necessary in ‘gyros’ form, it can also be a steak or a burger)
- with whole-wheat rice
- with pasta (thinned with a bit of the pasta water), as a simple, Mediterranean sauce.

Tzaziki

I think that tzatziki was the first dip I ever learnt to make when I was a kid.

During my trips abroad, I was always surprised to discover how much people loved tzatziki, how almost-exotic they found it! Wherever I went, each time I cooked a meal, tzatziki had to be on the table.

The other thing that has always surprised me was to see the additions to tzatziki. The original recipe calls for just six ingredients: Greek yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, garlic, vinegar, and salt. Yet I’ve seen tzatziki with ingredients that vary from shredded carrot to mint (great for garlicky breath, but not the original Greek tzatziki) to a dash of sugar to (the yuckiest) mayonnaise!

The version I’m sharing with you is the original, found in most Greek homes.

Ideas for enjoying your dip:

I consider tzatziki on a thick slice of whole-wheat bread a meal, nevertheless it’s great with a number of other things:
- with grilled vegetables
- with French fries
- with chicken
- with pork, lamb or veal, of course (not necessary in ‘gyros’ form, it can also be a steak or a burger)
- with whole-wheat rice, in which you’ve squeezed some lemon and drizzled olive oil
- or, with rice-stuffed peppers and/or tomatoes
- and, of course, with the wonderful rice-stuffed vine-leaves, the ‘ntolmadakia’.

And, as you probably know, the rule when garlic is served at the table is that everybody eats a bit: this way, nobody will complain about anybody else’s bad breath!

Sundried Tomato & Parsley Dip /  (“Dip Verkeerd”)

Just like many interesting ideas (and tastes), this dip was ‘discovered’ by mistake: the basil in a recipe in a magazine was translated to parsley in my mind, while a couple of other ingredients were omitted! Therefore, my version of the recipe included only sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, parsley and chilli peppers.

Later on, by pure chance, I had a second look at the original recipe, only to realize that I hadn’t quite followed the instructions. Yet, both I and every ‘tester’ loved the current taste, even though the dip was ‘verkeerd’!

Ideas for enjoying your dip:

Dips (at least most Olivity dips) are not just for dipping.

Try this one:
- as a spread on bread and sandwiches
- as a sauce for oven-baked potatoes, chicken or burgers
- mix it with a bit of water from your pasta for a great pasta sauce
- brush it over your vegetables, prior to grilling
- mix it with boiled cold beans for a Greek-style summer salad
- use it instead of oil for your scrambled eggs
- add it in soups for a Mediterranean taste
- mix it with crumbled feta cheese, fill oven-baked mushrooms and put them in the grill for 10 minutes
- or, mix it with soaked bulgur and grilled vegetables for a healthy, tasty salad.