Two Dips for Crudités
Vegetables, of course, make healthy snacks, and are especially appetizing when served with flavorful dips. Yellow split peas are the protein-rich basis of one spread; tarama—cured carp or cod roe, used in Greek and Turkish cooking—flavors the other. The roe is soaked in water to remove much of its saltiness, then squeezed of excess moisture. Look for tarama at specialty food stores. Serve dips with crudités and toasted baguette or whole-grain bread slices.
Ingredients
Yellow Split Pea Dip
Taramasalata
Preparation
Yellow Split Pea Dip
Step 1
Wrap carrots, celery, white onion, herbs, and peppercorns into a bundle; tie with kitchen twine.
Step 2
Combine split peas with the water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and herb bundle in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cook until split peas are tender, about 45 minutes. Discard bundle. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Drain split peas; let cool slightly.
Step 3
Puree split peas, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid in a food processor until smooth, adding more liquid as needed. To serve, drizzle spread with oil, top with red onion and capers, and season with pepper.
Taramasalata
Step 4
Place roe in a bowl and cover with cold water; soak 10 minutes. Drain in a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth. Rinse; drain again. Gather cheesecloth around roe, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
Step 5
Meanwhile, cover potato in a saucepan with 2 inches cold water and add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, and let cool.
Step 6
Puree roe, potato, and lemon juice in a food processor. With machine running, add oil and process until smooth. Season with pepper.
CRUDITÉS
Step 7
The dips here are accompanied by spring produce, but nearly any vegetable can be used in a platter of crudités. Serve tender vegetables, such as celery, snap peas, and baby carrots, raw; broccoli, green beans,and cauliflower are better (and lose little nutritional value) when blanched for 2 to 3 minutes in boiling water and then shocked in an ice-water bath.
Nutrition Information
Step 8
YELLOW SPLIT PEA DIP
Step 9
(Per 1/4-cup serving)
Step 10
Calories: 124
Step 11
Saturated Fat: .5g
Step 12
Unsaturated Fat: 3g
Step 13
Cholesterol: 0mg
Step 14
Carbohydrates: 17g
Step 15
Protein: 6.54g
Step 16
Sodium: 408mg
Step 17
Fiber: .2g
Step 18
TARAMASALATA
Step 19
(Per 1/4-cup serving)
Step 20
Calories: 101
Step 21
Saturated Fat: 1g
Step 22
Unsaturated Fat: 4.6g
Step 23
Cholesterol: 136mg
Step 24
Carbohydrates: 3.3g
Step 25
Protein: 8.4g
Step 26
Sodium: 104mg
Step 27
Fiber: .2g
