Garlic and herb dip

(Recipe adapted from the EDC cookbook)

When I first received my Thermomix and had the demonstration at my place, the consultant made this dip. I’m not exactly sure why, but at the time it tasted pretty ordinary. I think it might have been parsley overload or something. I hadn’t bothered giving it another go, but when I read that the macadamia, olive and sundried tomato dip I was making for a friend’s housewarming would be nice with a soft cheese, I thought this might be a good time to give the recipe another shot. Worst case scenario, I could mask the blah-ness with the strong flavours in the other dip!

Ingredients

Small bunch fresh parsley

1 clove garlic (I used two, but this is only if you know that the people who are eating the dip can handle it)

2 shallots (the recipe says you can use spring onions too but I prefer the taste of shallots)

250g cream cheese

Method

• Pop all the ingredients in the TMX bowl. Blend for 5 seconds/speed 7.

• Scrape down the sides and blitz for a further 20 seconds/speed 4. Make sure the dip is well combined, otherwise pulse the mixture a couple of times on Turbo. And…you’re done. 

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Macadamia, olive and sundried tomato dip

(Recipe taken from Tenina’s blog)

Ever since I got the Thermomix, I’ve been the designated dip chick in the group. which suits me just fine. Especially when it comes to quickies like this recipe! I don’t even have to bring out the bullet points for this one, that’s how little effort is needed.

Ingredients

1 clove garlic

50g macadamia nuts (look in the baking section of your supermarket, and you can get little packs if you want so you don’t have to keep too much in your pantry)

50g sundried tomatoes (I used semidried which worked too)

50g kalamata olives, pipped

20g extra virgin olive oil

20g balsamic vinegar.

Method

Pop all the ingredients into the TMX bowl and blitz for 6 seconds/speed 6.  Doneski!!!

I also made the EDC garlic and herb dip (post to come soon) which actually goes really well together with this. I think you could probably substitute the macadamias with cashews if that’s cheaper/better/easier, but given most chunky dips are cashew-based this is a nice deviation from the norm.

Capsicum and Sundried Tomato Dip

(Recipe from Everyday Cooking for Every Family)

The base ingredients and how I made this dip is essentially the same as the basil pesto I made a while back.

Ingredients

1 clove garlic

150g drained sundried or semi-sundried tomatoes (I used semi-sundried)

1 red capsicum, roughly cut into quarters

160g unsalted cashews (you remember that slight disaster I had with the butter chicken? Well, the cashews I had planned for that recipe went here instead!)

40g olive oil

40g white vinegar

2 tbsp parmesan cheese (grated first in the Thermomix, otherwise you can use pre-shredded parmesan)

Method

• Place all the ingredients into the TMX bowl and set dial to closed lid position.
• Pulse the turbo button for 5-1o seconds (about 4 pulses) so that you have a chunky but even mixture.