Originally published in quality newspapers on January 28, 2010
It was one of the classic moments from Seinfeld. At a wake, George Costanza gets caught grabbing a chip from a buffet table, dipping it, taking a bite, and dipping the same chip a second time. The fellow mourner who catches him tells him that double dipping is “like putting your whole mouth right in the dip!” Of course, the comedy keeps on coming and George ends up making a scene at the wake.
Dips show up at not only wakes but nearly anytime people gather for a meal. We are a dip-loving people and I don’t mean “we” as in Americans but rather “we” as a human race. The practice of dipping one food into another can be found in nearly every culture and some, like Hawaiians and their poi, bypass the dipper all together and just use the fingers.
We dip fries in ketchup, tortillas in salsa, sandwiches in au jus, Buffalo wings in bleu cheese, and the list goes on and on. One of my favorite candies as a kid was “Fun Dip” which came with something that looked like sidewalk chalk that you dipped in colored sugar. This particular dip may have been a ploy by the American Dental Association to drum up business.
I recently asked some of my friends about their favorite dips and dippers. I got several votes for the tried-and-true queso made with Velveeta and Rotel tomatoes and a wide variety of others. Dips are so commonplace I can’t remember the last time I attended a party where there wasn’t some sort of dip served, at least a vegetable try with the obligatory ranch dip.
With the Super Bowl coming up you’ll likely be sampling a dip or two and perhaps even making one yourself. If you are in the mood to try something a little different, you might want to consider making some baba ghanoush. Like its more-familiar cousin, humus, baba ghanoush has middle-eastern roots. The ingredients are similar to those in humus but instead of chickpeas, baba ghanoush is made with roasted eggplant. The roasting process gives the eggplant a mild smoky taste. It is traditionally served with pita wedges but celery is tasty as well.
The one semi-unusual ingredient in baba ghanoush is tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds. You can find tahini at middle-eastern markets and at many grocery stores’ international food sections, This dip can be made ahead of time and kept covered and refrigerated for up to five days.
Whether it’s baba ghanoush or any other dip you encounter, keep in mind this dip etiquette from Seinfeld, “When you take a chip, just take one dip and end it!”
Baba Ghanoush
- 2 large eggplant
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Cracked black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- Chopped parsley (to garnish)
- Extra virgin olive oil
Slice eggplants in half lengthwise and put upside down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place under a broiler until the outside skin is charred black and the pulp inside is soft. This will take 15 to 30 minutes. Let cool enough to handle and then use a spoon to scrape out the eggplant flesh and place in a bowl to cool further. Once the eggplant is cool, pour off any extra liquid before continuing.
Put the eggplant, garlic, salt, pepper, and tahini in a food processor and pulse the food processor to mix. Stir in lemon juice and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve in a shallow platter and garnish with chopped parsley and drizzled extra virgin olive oil.