Dip It! by Rick Rodgers Page B

zucchini.
    Tuscan Tomato and Basil Topping
    makes 2 cups
    MAKE-AHEAD : The topping is best served immediately.
    B ruschetta with tomatoes is something you can find on most Italian restaurant menus year-round—but it shouldn’t be. It should be made only with top-notch, flavorful summer tomatoes, not bland hothouse varieties. Vary the recipe by using the best-tasting tomatoes at the market: heirloom varieties, yellow tomatoes, or even chopped cherry tomatoes will all be wonderful.
what to spread
Bruschetta (page 182)
3 beefsteak tomatoes, halved, seeded, and cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ teaspoon salt
cup pitted and chopped black Mediterranean olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed through a press, optional
teaspoon crushed hot red pepper
    1. Toss the tomato cubes with the salt in a colander. Let stand in a sink to drain off the excess juices, about 30 minutes.
    2. Mix the tomato cubes, olives, basil, oil, garlic, if using, and red pepper in a medium bowl. Serve immediately.

Rib-Sticking Meat and Seafood Dips
    I think of these as my Super Bowl dips—the kind of rib-sticking fare that will satisfy the hungriest guy. Hearty and filling, some of these dips are so substantial they are actually spreads. (In fact, I look forward to having leftovers of the Ham and Swiss Cheese Spread or Italian Tuna and Caper Spread to use as sandwich fillings.) With one glance, you’ll know whether or not to serve them with a knife.
    For food safety reasons, it is important to keep these dips at their optimum serving temperature. Cold dips should be kept chilled, and hot dips warm, for no longer than two hours. See page 5 for suggestions on how to work within these restrictions.
    Long Island Clam Dip
    makes 2 cups
    MAKE-AHEAD : The dip can be prepared up to 1 day ahead.
    W hile old-fashioned clam dip may have its fans, canned clams are not an especially exciting item. So, when faced with a surplus of fresh steamed clams, I decided to accept the challenge of making a clam dip that I would serve to my friends. Be careful when seasoning the dip, because the clam cooking liquid can be salty. Use plump, meaty cherrystone clams; if only smaller littlenecks are available, increase the number of clams to twelve.
what to dip
Potato chips, store-bought
or homemade
(page 171 or 174) •
Tortilla chips, store-
bought or homemade
(page 176) • Baguette
slices • Crostini (page
180) • Flatbread crisps
• Broccoli florets,
prepared for dipping
(see page 85) • Celery
sticks • Cherry
tomatoes
6 cherrystone clams, scrubbed, soaked in cold water to cover for 1 hour, and drained
1 small onion, sliced
1 cup water
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature ¼ cup milk
2 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    1. Combine the clams, onion, and water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover tightly and cook until all of the clams open, about 7 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the clams to a platter to cool.
    2. Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve lined with a moistened paper towel into a bowl. Rinse out the pot. Return 1 cup of the liquid to the pot (freeze the remaining liquid to use as a shellfish stock, if desired), and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until the liquid has reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely.
    3. Cook the garlic in the oil in a small skillet over medium heat until soft and golden, about 2 minutes. Let cool completely.
    4. Remove the clams from the shells, discarding the shells. Pulse the clams in a food processor fitted with the metal blade until coarsely chopped.
    5. With a rubber spatula, mash the cream cheese, cooled clam juice, and milk in a medium bowl until smooth. Mix in the clams, garlic with its oil, scallions, and parsley. Season carefully with salt