 |
|
|
||||||
 |
|
|||||||
|
|
|
||||||
Delicious Dips and Vegetable Patés
Eggplant and Garlic Paté
3 eggplants
2 red bell peppers
5 garlic cloves
1 1/2 teaspoon pink peppercorns in brine, drained and crushed
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, or parsley
Preheat oven to 400 F. Arrange the whole eggplants, bell peppers and garlic cloves on a baking sheet and place in the oven. After 10 minutes remove the garlic cloves, and turn over the eggplants and bell peppers. Return the baking sheet to oven.
Carefully peel the garlic cloves and place in the bowl of a food processor or blender.
After 20 minutes more, remove the blistered and charred bell peppers from the oven and place in a paper or plastic bag. Leave to cool.
After 10 minutes, remove the eggplants from the oven. Split in half and scoop the flesh into a strainer placed over a bowl. Press the flesh with a spoon to remove the bitter juices.
Add the eggplant flesh to the garlic in the food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Place in a large mixing bowl.
Peel and chop the bell peppers and stir into the eggplant mixture. Mix in the peppercorns and fresh cilantro or parsley, and serve on a bed of salad greens or with whole grain crisp breads.
Eggplant Sunflower Paté
1 large eggplant
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
3 tablespoons plain low fat yogurt
handful fresh cilantro or parsley
black pepper
black olives, to garnish
Cut the eggplant in half and place, cut-side down, on a baking sheet. Place under a hot broiler for 15-20 minutes, until the skin is blackened and the flesh is soft. Leave for a few minutes, to cool slightly.
Scoop the flesh of the eggplant into a food processor. Add the garlic, lemon juice, sunflower seeds, and yogurt. Process until smooth. Coarsely chop the fresh cilantro or parsley and mix in. Season, then spoon into a serving dish. Top with olives and serve with vegetable sticks.
Bell Pepper Dips
2 medium red bell peppers, halved and seeded
2 medium yellow bell peppers, halved and seeded
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup fresh whole grain bread crumbs
salt and pepper
Place the bell peppers in separate saucepans with a peeled clove of garlic (red in one, yellow in the other). Add just enough water to cover.
Bring to a boil, then cover an simmer for 15 minutes until tender. Drain, cool, then puree separately in a food processor or blender, adding half the lemon juice and olive oil to each.
Stir half the bread crumbs into each and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with a selection of fresh vegetables for dipping.
|
|
 |
|
|
|