Trio of Dips

The winter root cellar has plenty of unusual vegetables deserving of your attention. In my first recipe I will use the Celery Root. Which by the way is not celery root at all, but the root of the celeriac plant. It is a rather unattractive, bulbous brown root: it tastes like the combination of celery and parsley. Delicious eaten raw or cooked, it contains small amounts of calcium, iron, and vitamin B.

CELERY ROOT DIJON-
1 small celery root (1 ½ pounds), peeled & grated
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon leaves

-Steam the celery root over boiling water for 2 minutes. Rinse in cold water, drain thoroughly, and set aside.
-Combine the lemon juice, mustard, water, vinegar, tarragon, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the celery root to the mustard mixture and mix well.
-Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

For a pretty presentation, line small plates with radicchio leaves, spoon the celery root mixture into the center of the leaves, and garnish with sprigs of fresh tarragon. Remember, we eat with our eyes first.

Even in the longest winter, the solstice always comes- that magic day when the sun turns back to us and the days start to become longer, heading inexorably to summer. In this next recipe I present to you the “Aubergine”. Though commonly thought of as a vegetable, Eggplant is actually a fruit…specifically a berry. This recipe is nourishing with warm tastes of the season, but looks a bit wistfully toward spring.

EGGPLANT CAVIAR-
1 Medium eggplant (1 ½ pounds)
2 Tbsp. chopped chives
2 small garlic cloves, halved
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
5 kalamata olives for garnish

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
-Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and place cut side up on a baking sheet. Spray the cut surface with a non stick vegetable cooking spray. Bake the eggplant for 40 minutes, or until it can be pierced easily with a fork. Remove from oven and let cool until safe to handle.
-With a large spoon, scoop the eggplant flesh out and place in a food processor. Discard the skin. Add all the remaining ingredients and blend to the desired consistency.
Can be used as a dip or spread and makes a great sauce for fish, chicken, or meat. On top of all that, it is easy and inexpensive to make.

It’s traditionally laden with mayonnaise, but my slimmed-down version of Artichoke dip gets its rich texture from cottage cheese. Artichokes tend to oxidize and turn brown when trimmed; to avoid this, rub them with lemon juice. I especially like to serve this with batons of brilliantly colored red peppers.

ARTICHOKE & BASIL DIP
4 artichokes
1Tbsp.fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp.olive oil
1 Tbsp. minced shallots
2 tsps. minced garlic
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup water
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
¼ cup very thinly sliced fresh basil
Salt & freshly ground pepper

-Remove the tough outer leaves of the artichoke to reveal the tender inner leaves. Trim the stem and cut off the top third of the artichoke. Trim around the base and remove any remaining tough dark green spots. Quarter the artichoke and remove the fuzzy choke with a melon ball scoop. Slice thinly. Rub with lemon juice to prevent browning. Repeat with remaining artichokes.

-Pour the olive oil into a nonstick pan set over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic; sauté, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the artichokes, bay leaf, thyme, and water; simmer for 15 minutes, or until the artichokes are tender.
-Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs from the water. Drain the artichokes and transfer with the shallots and garlic to a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the cottage cheese; process until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl, stir in the basil and season with salt and black pepper.

Viola! You have succeeded in making 3 totally awesome dips for your guilt free Super Bowl feast. Now if this will only make the Saints win, I’m good as gold!

“Laughter is Brightest where food is best”………..Irish Proverb