“What keeps me motivated is not the food itself but all the bonds and memories the food represents”
M Chiarello
Wholegrain Olive Oil Crackers & 3 Dips…. for times like these when the game is up. Nothing unites the world better than sport and food. I think the two were meant to go hand in hand. Think world cup cricket, soccer, or then super bowl, and the first thing that comes to mind if food! OK, after the game of course! With the ICC Cricket World Cup warming up nicely, it’s imperative to keep the food going!
Yesterday spent 20 minutes rolling out crackers … thin, crisp, delicious Wholegrain Olive Oil Crackers. Paired them off with 3 quick dips. Dips are an out and out game favourite, and I have gone with simple ones! A Roasted Bell Pepper, Garlic & Walnut Dip {earthy, smoky, finger licking good}, a Classic Garlicky Cream Dip {tangy, creamy, GARLICKY ... an all time favourite} and a seasonal Rocket & Cashew Dip {where sharp peppery leaves meet the sweetness of cashew nuts}.
Dips are really really versatile to throw together. Make them using what you have on hand. Herbs, seasonal produce, cold pressed oils, garlic, garlic greens, onion scapes, legumes, citrus fruit, nuts, cheese, spices. Get creative and follow your taste buds. You will be surprised at how much you can create with so little! To thin them down you can add coconut milk, citrus juice, single cream, sour cream, buttermilk etc.
Once ready, which is a matter of minutes usually, you can dip into them of course, or add them to your cheese platter. There’s so much more you can do. Slather sandwiches with them, toss them through a pasta, top grilled chicken or fish with dip. If you are more adventurous, them use them in a bread like the French Fougasse. I love that you can tweak the flavours as you like, and also that dips embrace local and seasonal produce whole heartedly!
Why so many nibbles of late you might wonder? Well these are game days. Cricket, cricket and more cricket. From games you expect nothing and get the word, and from games you expect the world and hit rock bottom, the sports world is a funny place to be in. The cricket world cup down under has begun,and how! Talk sports and there is another huge thing in common …FOOD!
And that’s where we DIP! These are simple ones to rustle up. You could even do a make ahead simple hummus that I just shared with oat & cheese crackers. On the side, you could go the healthy crudite way or whole grain crackers maybe. Else grab the bag of chips, nachos, pita chips…whatever. Dig right in. Every major gaming event, be it the super bowl, soccer or the cricket world cup, churns up an appetite for food, yummy, good, delicious food.
These dips will hit the ball out of the park … like South Africa did today! If you are deft in the kitchen, and love getting quick stuff together, then here are a few other options. The India Pakistan thriller saw us polishing off rustic Savoury Whole Wheat Hungarian Kalács. Do a quick version with cooked chicken tossed in the rocket cashew pesto dip and cheese! Or skip the chicken and go vegetarian. Next was the India South Africa match.
That saw a rerun of Oat & Wheat Cheese Crackers with a quick Hummus! Delicious times indeed! If you aren’t the cooking types, but certainly the eating types, then your best option would be a quick call to Food Panda to order your favourite food. It’s an online food-ordering service that makes it easy for customers to find their favorite food conveniently from home, work or on the road and get it delivered. It is now active in 30 cities in India and has over 4000+ restaurants available and the delivery of your food is free.
Oh and don’t forget to participate in the Philips giveaway here. Just a day to go!
[print_this]Recipe: Wholegrain Olive Oil Crackers
Summary: Wholegrain Olive Oil Crackers & 3 Dips. Crisp, light addictive crackers. Top them with spices or enjoy them as is. Crackers don’t get simpler than these!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 200g wholewheat flour
- 100g oats
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 40ml extra virgin olive oil
- 150ml water {approximately}
- Olive oil for brushing over
- Zaatar and Sumac for sprinkling {optional}
Method:
- Place first five ingredients in bowl of food processor and blend to mix. Gradually add water to make a firm, pliable dough. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 180C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly dusted surface, take a quarter of the dough and roll it out as thinly as you can to a rectangular shape to fit the tray. Transfer dough to the parchment paper, brush with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle over with Zaatar if desired.
- Take a pastry / pizza cutter and cut into desired shapes.
- Bake for about 15-18 minutes until light golden brown. Keep an eye on them towards the end as they can over brown pretty quick.
- Cool completely on racks. Store in an airtight container. Serve with dips.
Recipe: Roasted Bell Pepper, Garlic & Walnut
Summary: Earthy, smoky, finger licking good
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1 whole head of garlic
- 50g walnuts
- 30ml extra virgin olive oil
- Handful fresh oregano
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Method:
- Place the bell peppers and garlic and roast in an oven at 180C for 30 minutes, until the bell peppers are charred. I roasted them in my AirFryer. Place in a covered bowl and allow to cool. Peel and deseed the bell peppers, squeeze the garlic out.
- Place walnuts in food processor with all the remaining ingredients. Pulse to desired consistency. Stand for 20 minutes for flavours to mature. {Can be made ahead. Store in refrigerator for 2-3 days}
Recipe: Classic Garlicky Cream Dip
Summary: Creamy, garlicky and tangy, this is an all time favourite!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 400g yogurt, hung
- 3 finely chopped cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic greens {or chives, maybe fresh coriander}
- finely chopped green chili
- 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Place yogurt in a large bowl and whisk well until smooth and lump free. Whisk in the remaining ingredients. Taste and check seasoning. Add more lime or salt if required.
- {Can be made ahead. Store in refrigerator for 2-3 days}
Recipe: Rocket & Cashew Dip
Summary: A dip where peppery rocket meets sweet cashew nuts. Thin this one down with cream cheese or single cream if you like. You can also add some parmesan.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 100g cashew nuts
- 50g rocket leaves
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Dash of lime juice
Method:
- Place cashew nuts and rocket leaves in bowl of processor and pulse until everything is chopped quite fine. Make sure not to process it to a paste. We want to feel the texture of the nuts.
- Slowly drizzle in olive oil and blend. Season with salt and add a dash of lime juice.
- {Can be made ahead. Store in refrigerator for 2-3 days}
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