Dippity Do

Of my many, many vices, just about the only one I’m about to discuss on a blog my father reads is dip.

Yeah. You know: Dip. Those creamy, drippy, fatty, spread-y tasty substances served at social gatherings to help the addictive potato chips and tortilla crisps go down our gullets that much easier (which is exactly what we ALL need, isn’t it?)

From guacamole to chili con queso; from pretentious truffled-white-bean dip to proletarian Lipton Onion Dip… (And can we count chopped liver? Yes! Let’s count chopped liver!) I’ve never met a dip I couldn’t love. Which can be somewhat problematic (see “creamy” and “fatty” above). So imagine my pleasant surprise when I discovered a dip (in the first Barefoot Contessa Cookbook) that I can eat without even a dollop of guilt and can serve to just about ANYONE on the planet because it’s vegan, nut-free, gluten-free, low-fat, low-cal, high fiber, not terribly high in sodium, Halal and kosher for Passover. (Okay, that last one's not a huge concern in August, but go ahead and bookmark this, because come April you’re going to wish you remembered where you saw it.)   

But never mind how healthful it is, this dip is really, really delicious. And easy to make. And a great way to use up the peppers and eggplants that were in my CSA box this week. And it'll last for at least a week in an air-tight container in the fridge.

The original recipe calls for a tablespoon of tomato paste, but I skip it, because I hate being left with the rest of the can. So, here’s what I do:

Preheat the oven to 450.

Cut 1 large or 2 medium eggplants into 1-inch cubes.

Slice 1 red onion and 2 sweet red peppers.

Peel 2-3 garlic cloves.

Spread the veggies out on 2 cookie sheets (Don’t try to fit them all on one; everything will end up steaming instead of roasting if it's too crowded.)

Drizzle with a few Tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with a little coarse salt. Toss to coat the veggies with the oil.

Roast for 20 minutes. Stir the veggies around and roast for 10-20 minute more (checking often) until the edges of the pieces start to brown but don’t start to burn.

Let cool completely. (Be patient. Cooling the veggies before you puree them is safer, and letting the steam escape prevents the dip from becoming watery.)

If the vegetables seem oily, blot them with a piece of paper-towel, the way some folks do with pizza.

Puree (the veggies, not the Bounty) in a food processor or with a stick blender.

Add freshly ground black pepper and more salt to taste. Serve with crackers or fresh cut up veggies or wedges of toasted pita bread.