INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

In this file, I will try and give some ideas about what you can use
for the dips in the other files that I will be posting. ********* *
BASES * ********* Although dips come in countless varieties, most
start with one of the following bases, to which seasonings and
ingredients are added to give each dip its own distinctive flavor and
personality. Each base has it own character and is particularly  suited
in bringing out the best of the ingredients that are added.  Likewise,
the base will influence what kind of dipper is called for.  SOUR CREAM:
The classic base of the good old-fashioned all-American  chip dip, sour
cream is a perennial favorite because it mixes so well  with a wide
range of flavorings. Its smooth consistency and slightly  tangy flavor
make it a good companion for veggies of all sorts, and  its stark
whiteness simply begs for the addition of colorful specks.  Sour cream
dips should be thoroughly chilled before serving time to  allow the
flavors of all the other ingredients to blend well into the  sour
cream. People on low-fat diets can be consoled by the knowledge  that
yogurt can be easily substituted for the sour cream in most  cases.
CREAM CHEESE: Cream cheese added to sour cream is the royalty  of dip
bases as far as I am concerned.  The tow are perfect foils for  each
other's inherent tastes, resulting in a neutral base that allows  the
flavor of other ingredients to stand out. The addition of cream  cheese
to sour cream also thickens the mixture sufficiently sot that  heavier
ingredients (such as diced veggies) will float in the dip  instead of
sinking to the bottom of the bowl.  (NOTE: Don't try to  use cream
cheese alone as a base for dry ingredients.  It will most  likely do in
even the most sturdiest of dippers unless it's mixed  with something
more liquid.) Buy the cream cheese in block form. The  whipped variety
in the tub has air whipped into it, and it will play  havoc with your
measurements. Before blending with other ingredients,  let the cream
cheese soften to room temperature and then "cream"  it--mash it to a
smooth consistency with a sturdy spoon in a mixing  bowl.  NOTE: this
is fairly easy to do by hand once the cheese has  softened.)
MAYONNAISE: The traditional dressing of Europe, mayonnaise  is now at
home as a base for New World dips. Its natural blandness  makes an
ideal backdrop for herb flavorings, which it tends to absorb  quickly.
Mayonnaise is often successfully teamed with sour cream.  Mayonnaise
based dips are best with veggie and seafood dippers as  well as with
any meat that you might use in a salad. Mayo dips must  be watched
carefully and ABSOLUTELY cannot be left out in the heat,  as the raw
egg yolks in the mayonnaise give it a very short life  span. Although
you certainly can use the convienent store-bought  kind, you might want
to try this recipe for homemade mayonnaise--it  tastes better and is
relatively easy to make. The dip recipes in the  other files will
assume that you are using the store-bought kind. If  you use this
recipe, omit any additional oil called for in the  recipes. HOMEMADE
MAYONNAISE: 2 1/2 Tsp Lemon Juice 3 Large Egg Yolks  1/8 Tsp White
Pepper 1/8 Tsp Salt 1 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil USING A  FOOD PROCESSOR:
Fit a food processor with the steel blade and place  the egg yolks,
lemon juice, pepper, and salt in the bowl. Blend until  smooth. While
continuing to process, very slowly drizzle the oil  through the feed
tube. Continue until all of the oil is used and the  mayonnaise
thickens. BY HAND: Using a whisk, beat the egg yolks,  lemon juice,
pepper and salt until well blended.  Slowly add the oil  by the 1/2
tsp, whisking constantly. Continue until all of the oil is  used and
the mayonnaise is thickened. Makes 1 3/4 Cups Of mayonnaise  YOGURT AND
COTTAGE CHEESE: Yogurt is often the costar of a dip base,  used either
to thin the mixture or to impart a tangier flavor. Be  sure to use the
plain, unflavored yogurt as Vanilla will NOT do. A  lot of people are
partial to using cottage cheese, which adds an  interesting texture to
dips. A dip base that includes cottage cheese  holds up with the
addition of large chunks of vegetables and works  particularly well
with cracker dippers.  In some recipes the cottage  cheese must first
be creamed, as you would the cream cheese. (In this  case you are
breaking up the curds.) BEANS: Bean dips came onto the  scene with the
widespread emergence of ethnic food some 20 years ago  and have
remained extremely popular ever since.  Beans mix well with  cheeses
and strong spices, producing distinctive earthy-colored dips  that are
best accompanied by chip and bread dippers.  As most bean  dips have
ethnic roots, you should pair them with dippers of similar  origins.
(Middle Eastern garbanzo bean dip with pita triangle, for  example.)
Dried beans, which are less expensive than the canned  variety, must
first be soaked for several hour and then cooked until  fork-tender.
Canned beans are already cooked and thus are more  convenient but come
packed in floured water that must be thoroughly  rinsed off before you
use them.  From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at
www.synapse.com/~gemini

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