4 Bites: Healthy dips for crudites

French onion dip

1. Evenly chop 1 large onion, 4-5 shallots and 1 bunch spring onions (reserve the green tops). Melt a large knob of butter and a glug of olive oil, then add the onions, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 tsp sugar and a small bunch lemon thyme and gently fry, stirring often until everything is nicely caramelised.
2. Add the spring onion tops, ¼ cup stock (or the juice of an orange) a healthy splash of gin and cook until liquid has evaporated and the mixture is soft to the bite. Remove from heat, discard herbs, cover and cool. Blitz to a chunky paste.
3. Add onion to 1 large cup buffalo (or greek) yoghurt, a handful chopped chives and the zest and juice of a lemon. Stir to combine, season and chill to serve.

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Tomato and sweet pepper dip

1. Roughly chop 2 punnets (500g) cherry tomatoes, 2-3 shallots (or 1 red onion), 6 Little Sweety peppers (or 2-3 red, yellow or orange capsicums) and 2-5 green chillies. Add to a bowl with a knob chopped ginger, a whole bulb peeled garlic, 1 Tbsp honey, a good glug olive oil, salt and a good grind of black pepper. Toss together well and grill on a baking dish lined with baking paper in a hot oven to char and soften, stirring often. Leave to cool.
2. Add a good handful chopped coriander, 1 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp tarragon (or cider) vinegar and the zest and juice of 1 lemon or lime. Blitz to a chunky salsa, adjust seasoning and chill to serve.

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Potato, garlic and black olive dip

1. Peel, chop and boil 3-5 medium sized potatoes in very salty water until well cooked. Drain and mash with a big pour of olive oil (if necessary, add a little of the cooking water to keep it loose).
2. Crush 7 garlic cloves with 1 Tbsp salt to form a smooth paste (the mortar and pestle is your friend) and blitz in a food processor with 100g walnuts, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil and the zest and juice 1 lemon to form a smooth paste.
3. Fold into the mash, thin with approx ⅓ cup pickle juice (or white wine vinegar) to taste, 100g chopped black olives and season with sumac. Chill to serve.

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