For those with an herb garden, this summertime dip is a bundle of fresh-clipped herbs in a delicate green, creamy sauce. Light and refreshingly herbaceous, the perfect dippers are garden-fresh vegetables, such as asparagus spears, baby carrots, radishes, zucchini spears, cucumber slices, and broccoli or cauliflower florets.

The flavor of fresh crabmeat is so fabulous all on its own that my goal in developing a crab dip was to use a minimum of ingredients. I wanted to highlight the crab flavor and texture, not mask it. Though I keep a jar of sambal oelek—an Indonesian hot chile pepper paste—in my refrigerator at… Read More

This salsa is big, bright and spiced—a vibrant orange-glow accompaniment that is deliriously delicious, punctuated with cilantro, and power-surged with jalapeno chile. If you and your friends can take the heat, use two whole chiles; one is plenty for me.

Let’s commingle cultural traditions by turning classic Mexican salsa ingredients—tomatoes, peppers, and onions—into an Italian affair with the addition of roasted garlic, fresh basil, and oregano. If you plan ahead and have a head of roasted garlic ready to use, this salsa is a cinch to make on the day of the party. Roasted garlic… Read More

Though I call this a salsa, the tastes and ingredients sway this toward the Mediterranean. A perfect opener for a grill party centered around Italian or Provencal flavors. For this recipe you need to roast your own bell peppers don’t substitute store-bought roasted peppers from a jar. The task is as simple as could be,… Read More

I developed this warm wintertime party dip one day while cooking ahead for Thanksgiving dinner. Intending to make soup, I roasted squash, onion, and garlic drizzled with olive oil. I puréed the roasted vegetables, added some spices, a little crème fraîche, and took a taste. Dunking a crisp pita chip in the mixture, I found… Read More

It may seem a bit brazen to take a classic Catalan sauce, remove most of the olive oil to lighten it up, and declare it addictively delicious. But that’s what my dinner-party guests called this romesco sauce when I served it with poached shrimp and roasted cauliflower. I try to keep a batch on hand… Read More

Seeking to broaden the flavor profile of hummus beyond the bounds of Middle Eastern tradition (mashed chickpeas with garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice), I’ve played with a variety of additional ingredients. Although some combinations didn’t work, I did come up with this version, which has become a favorite. Pumpkin and chickpeas have a natural… Read More