n1.. I

pleasures

:

IPS

By Marlene Sorosky

Update your dipping pool
with roasted vegetables
and Southwest spice,
then add a splash of sparkling
fruit-flavored drinks.

n the lazy, hazy, crazy corn are combined with a puree
days of summer, the of lima grands (also called dry
words "dipping" and butter beans) and cream cheese
"dunking" conjure up, in for a smooth but chunky dip that
normal minds, images of is baked and served warm.
I used to serve Thai Peanut
splashing about in an
azure blue pool. But I'm a food Sauce only with meats, until I
writer; so I envision, instead, inadvertently dipped a carrot
crisp chips and crunchy crudités. into some leftovers and discov-
After all, what summer get-to- ered a delectable new pre-dinner
gether would be complete with- dip. Vegetable Garden Dip be-
out a platter of munchies gins with a medley of fresh veg-
surrounding a dip? Dips have etables, minced together in the
come a long way since Lipton food processor, then lightly
stirred a package of onion soup bound with cream cheese, cot-
into a bowl of sour cream. Salsas tage cheese and sour cream and
are the vogue dip of the '90s. flavored with bleu cheese. I then
Made with a variety of fresh veg- repeat the vegetables for dippers.
For parties, I prefer to make
etables and fruit, they fit our low-
fat, high-taste criteria. Most edible containers for my dips, ei-
commonly, salsas are made by ther by overlapping tortillas and
combining vegetables in their baking them, or scooping out a
raw state; but grilling or oven- loaf of French or sourdough
roasting them adds an exciting bread.
As for what to dip, many veg-
dimension. Celebrate the heady
etables taste great
flavors of southern
U
raw
and
take a min-
France with the rus-
ME N
imum of preparation:
tic but refined mix of
Cantaloupe Cooler
cucumber sticks or
cooked eggplant,
rounds, red and yel-
peppers, and zucchi-
Baked Strawberry-
low pepper wedges,
ni in Roasted
Stuffed French Toast
radishes, red and yel-
Provençal Vegetable
Gingerbread Oven
low cherry tomatoes,
Salsa. And for an up-
Pancake with
endive leaves, mush-
beat twist on salsa,
Caramelized Fruit
rooms and olives to
try the Creamy
Crusted Turkey Patties
name a few. Sugar
Southwestern Dip.
with Honey Mustard
snap and snow peas
Tomatoes, jalapenos,
can be served either
garlic, olives and

•

BY DEBORAH MAllOLENI

I

raw or lightly blanched; aspara-
gus spears and large or baby ar-
tichokes should be cooked. The
vegetables can be cooked or
blanched a day ahead; plunged
into ice water to stop the cooking;
and refrigerated, covered with a
damp paper towel and plastic
wrap. Have a spritzer bottle
handy to keep the vegetables
from drying out before serving.
To add some splash to your dip-
ping, I'm including a selection of

refreshing summer drinks. They
are so easy to make, you don't
even need a blender. Just stir to-
gether some trendy new juices,
sodas and flavored waters and
pour into a glass. Then sit back,
relax, and dip into the cool tastes
of summer. Happy dunking!

Roasted Provençal
Vegetable Salsa

Prep time: salsa— 30 minutes, pita

chips– 10 minutes.
Marinade time: 1 hour.
Cook time: grill— 6 to 12 minutes,
oven— 20 minutes, pita chips— 10 to
15 minutes.

Chill time: 6 hours.
Advance prep: Salsa may be refrig-
erated up to 2 days. Pita chips may be
stored airtight at room temperature
for several days or frozen.

DIPS & SIPS page 76

• summER less •

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