Beer, chips, and dip—like the Bee Gees, Rush, and Nirvana, it’s a classic trio. To supplement your fine selection of suds, here are five great dip recipes from restaurants across the city. Happy munching.
Guacamole by Agave y Aguacate (pictured above)
1 small clove of garlic, peeled
2 tsp white onion, roughly chopped
¼ habanero pepper, finely chopped
6 sprigs fresh coriander
1 avocado
Salt and lime juice, to taste
› Using a mortar and pestle, grind the onion, coriander, garlic, and chilies together.
› Cut the avocado in half and discard the pit. Scoop out the flesh with a metal spoon and mash roughly into the ingredients.
› Mix well, then season with lime juice and salt to taste.
› Serve immediately.
“It’s a simple recipe, but I always say the same thing about Mexican cuisine: It’s all about taking care of
the ingredients and making sure everything is properly balanced.”—Chef Francisco Alejandri
Agave y Aguacate, 214 Augusta Ave., 647-208-3091, agaveyaguacate.blogspot.com.
Hummus by Tabülè
1 cup chickpeas (canned or raw)
½ cup raw tahini
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2-3 cloves of garlic, mashed up
Salt, to taste
Extra-virgin olive oil
› If using raw chickpeas, soak in water overnight, boil for an hour, and drain.
› Grind chickpeas in blender until desired consistency is obtained.
› Add tahini to chickpea mixture and blend slowly or mix by hand.
› Add lemon, garlic, and salt to the mixture and blend again.
› Add water slowly while blender is on until the hummus is smooth.
› Put in bowl and finish with olive oil.
› Garnish: parsley, cayenne pepper.
“For me, the olive oil is one of the most important ingredients. You can even ask my daughter: I try to give her hummus and she tells me I need to add the olive oil. And she’s six!”—chef Rony Goraichy
Tabülè, 2009 Yonge St., 416-483-3747, tabule.ca.
Tzatziki by Estiatorio Volos
1 lb Greek yogurt
1 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1½ tsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp dill, finely chopped
½ tsp sea salt
Coarse black pepper, to taste
1 English cucumber, peeled, grated*
* Place the grated cucumber on a piece of cheesecloth, pull the corners up to create a sack, twist it, and squeeze firmly to drain excess liquid.
› In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except cucumber; whisk firmly until smooth but not runny.
› Adjust salt to taste.
› Add the drained cucumber.
› Chill at least one hour and serve.
“Some people add a lot of garlic and vinegar to their tzatziki, but we tend to add just enough to get that bite and a little bit of zest.”— Chef Reza “Ray” Parsia
Estiatorio Volos, 133 Richmond St. W., 416-861-1211, volos.ca.
Roasted Black Tomato and Morita Salsa by Frida Restaurant
15 Roma tomatoes
2 morita peppers, lightly toasted on a skillet or in an oven
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp, fresh lime or lemon juice
½ cup coriander, freshly chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
› Roast the tomatoes on a baking sheet and in the oven at 500°F for seven to eight minutes until the skin is blackened. Turn over and roast the other side. Let cool.
› Put the tomatoes (skin and all) in a blender with the morita peppers and two tbsp of lime or lemon juice. Blend.
› Taste for acidity and add more lime or lemon juice if necessary. Add coriander, salt, and pepper to the mix and blend again.
› Pour salsa into a bowl. Add the onion and mix with a spatula. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Frida Restaurant, 999 Eglinton Ave. W., 416-787-2221, fridarestaurant.ca.
Spiced Asiago, Artichoke, and Spinach Dip by Cheese Boutique
240 g canned artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
6 roasted garlic cloves, pressed
1½ cups water chestnuts, chopped
1½ cups chopped spinach
½ cup whipped cream cheese
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
1½ cups mayonnaise
4 oz American Asiago cheese, finely shredded
2 hot chili peppers in oil, finely chopped
Zest of ½ lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
Pinch of cayenne
Salt and pepper, to taste
› Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Serve.
“I wanted to make a versatile dip that would use our cream cheese.”—pastry Chef Vanessa Bilan
Cheese Boutique, 45 Ripley Ave., 416-762-6292, cheeseboutique.com.
CORRECTION, MAY 18, 2012: When it was first published, this article mismatched two of the photos to their respective recipes—a photo of Cheese Boutique’s spiced asiago, artichoke, and spinach dip accompanied Estiatorio Volos’s tzatziki recipe, and vice-versa. We’ve corrected the error above.
