Simple Cruising Fare - Summer Dips and Spreads
So we’ve covered the summer salads and the best burgers ever in earlier issues of Coastal Cruising -- our next summer culinary adventure is dips and spreads.
On hot summer days light meals with minimal galley time are what cooks look for: sometimes a selection of raw vegetables and dips or a cheese plate with good bread and a salad is all that is required. These two dips and a sun-dried tomato jam are cook and crew tested and have met with high approval ratings!
Feta Cheese and Yoghurt Dip
This is a twist on tzatziki which is made with yoghurt and grated cucumber. Feta cheese and yoghurt is a tasty accompaniment for raw vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 cup Greek style yoghurt (yoghurt should be thick — if you use regular plain yoghurt, you can let it strain through a coffee filter for a few hours to get it to the right consistency)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 oz feta cheese (use a creamy feta like Macedonian, Bulgarian or French sheep feta)
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Directions
Mix together in a food processor. I use a hand-held Braun blender on the boat. Serve with a selection of raw vegetables or flat bread.
Hummus
This dip, made from chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans) and tahini paste (sesame seed paste) is popular throughout the Middle East and throughout Turkey and Greece. Although you can buy good hummus from many deli counters, it is easy to make and fabulous fresh and the base ingredients keep well on board. Hummus, when eaten with whole-grain bread, makes a complete protein -- so you can skip meat and still be eating properly. Hummus also makes a good accompaniment to grilled chicken and falafel. This version is based on the Moosewood Cookbook, one of the best vegetarian cookbooks ever produced.
Ingredients
- 19-oz. can of chickpeas drained
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- juice of 2 medium lemons
- 3/4 cup tahini
- ¼ cup water as needed
- 1/4 packed cup finely minced fresh parsley
- Lots of freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup minced scallions
Directions
Blend in a food processor or use your hand-held Braun blender.
Crostini with Sun-Dried Tomato Jam
We discovered this recipe by Giada De Laurentiis and it has become a staple when we invite people onboard.
Sun-Dried Tomato Jam
- 1 (8-ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped, oil reserved
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Crostini
- 1 baguette, cut into 3/4-inch slices
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 5 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
For the Sun-dried Tomato Jam
Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 1 tablespoon of the reserved sun-dried tomato oil, olive oil, onion, and garlic. Stir and cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown at the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the sugar, vinegar, water, chicken broth, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and continue simmering until most of the liquid is reduced and the mixture is the consistency of jam, about 5 to 10 more minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
For the Crostini
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Place the baguette slices on the baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the baguette slices with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes.
Place the soft goat cheese in a small bowl. Stir in the thyme.
To assemble:
Spread the crostini with Sun-Dried Tomato Jam and top with the goat cheese and herb mixture. Transfer to a serving plate and serve.