Grilling and Smoking Dips
Grilling in the summer is a particular joy not just because of the taste of grilled foods, but because it is a time to enjoy the outdoors, and a time when we try and avoid heating our homes. It is also a time when cold foods come to the fore, and for myself, having tasty and unique dips to enjoy with chips, wraps or cut veggies is a natural. We all know that grilling enhances and intensifies the flavors of many veggies. But we should not forget that grilled vegetables are the bases of many a flavorful dip, especially those with a Mediterranean origin. Here we will look at a few examples of dips, and talk about easy methods for making those on your outdoor grille. And for those of you fortunate enough to have a grille equipped with a smoke box, like the larger Twin Eagles models, you can even add some smoke taste to these dips.
Baba Ghanouj – This is a Middle Eastern dip which starts with the wonderfully smoky taste of charred or smoked eggplant. To make this, you will select eggplants which are firm and deep purple in color, and without splits in the surface. For me, selection of produce is also largely an aromatic affair. If you can smell the fruit or the vegetable, chances are that you will be able to taste it as well. Cut two eggplants into one-inch thick slices and allow to drain on paper towels for about 15 minutes to remove all moisture. If you are going to leave them to sit longer than this or prepare ahead of time, rub some lemon juice over the slices to prevent them from browning. Prepare your grille for direct grilling and preheat to medium. When your grille is heated, rub the eggplant slices with some olive oil and grille on each side until you have a nice char. Eggplant is one of those foods which taste delicious with some char on the outside. As I mentioned above, if you have a grille with a smoker box, you may wish to add some mild-flavored wood chips, such as apple, cherry or oak, to the smoker box. Remove the eggplant from the heat and puree in a blender with ¼ cup each of olive oil and tahini, 3 Tbsp. of lemon juice, a few sprigs of fresh parsley and/or cilantro, and chopped garlic to taste. I’m a garlic lover, so I add about 4 Tbsp. of chopped garlic, but you will find recipes that call for only 1-2 cloves. Enjoy this with warm pita bread or celery slices.
Htipiti – Another wonderful dip from the Mediterranean region, the stars of this dip are grilled bell peppers and feta cheese. Bell peppers are another food that taste great with some char to it. Simply core 2 large bell peppers of any color, brush with olive oil and grille over direct gas heat or charcoal embers until you have a slight char all the way around. Puree in your blender with 4 oz. of feta cheese, ¼ cup of sour cream, a handful of fresh Italian parsley and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes. Again, these go great with pita bread.
Smoked chile pepper dip – The more varieties of peppers you can use in this dip, the more complex the flavor, but if you have a limited selection available to you, you can go with poblanos and jalapenos. Poblanos look like a slightly oblong green bell pepper, have an incredibly rich taste and are not usually hot enough to scare many people away. Anaheim peppers can replace jalapenos for those who avoid heat, and serranos may be added for those who love it. As discussed in a previous article, (“Creating Unique Foods in the Smoker”, prepare chile peppers for smoking by soaking them in a vinegar-water brine for at least an hour before smoking. Place them in your smoker in a shallow aluminum pan and smoke for about 1 1/2-2 hours, with a pan of liquid in your smoker to maintain moisture. Remove from heat and puree in your blender with a 50/50 mix of butter and olive oil, and a little bit of powdered cumin. Toasting the cumin for a few minutes in an ungreased cast iron skillet adds yet another dimension of flavor. Serve with tortillas, or use as a sauce to mop over grilled beef or pork.
There are countless refreshing and flavorful dips you can make starting with grilled veggies. Again, don’t be afraid to experiment. Let your own tastes be your guide.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Richard Mezoff is a Louisville-based chef who owned the highly-regarded Tastes Restaurant, as well as Big Mama Mezoff’s Sauces. He is afflicted with “hickorophilia dementia,” an intense addiction to hickory smoke, a malady curable only by the consumption of healthy quantities of barbecued meat and veggies.
