Thyme and Garlic Cheese Dip

1 tablespoon (packed) fresh thyme leaves1/2 garlic clove1/2 teaspoon coarse salt1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper1 7 1/2-ounce package farmer cheese or one 8-ounce package cream cheese1/4 cup sour cream

Blend first 4 ingredients in processor until garlic is finely chopped, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Add cheese and sour cream; blend well. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired. Transfer to serving bowl; chill 30 minutes. (Dip can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)

Makes 1 cup


Bon AppétitNovember 2002

Roasted Eggplant Spread

1 medium eggplant
2 red bell peppers, seeded
1 red onion, peeled
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the eggplant, bell pepper, and onion into 1-inch cubes. Toss them in a large bowl with the garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned and soft, tossing once during cooking.

Cool slightly.

Place the vegetables in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add the tomato paste, and pulse 3 or 4 times to blend. Taste for salt and pepper.

Makes 6-8 Servings

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This is great as is for  a dip or base foundation for other additional ingredients (see below):

Additional Ingredient Options:

• Process with 2/3 of a cup of Feta Cheese
• Substitute basil pesto for the tomato paste
• Use spicier peppers if you like a hotter flavor
• Add pepper flakes, rosemary, thyme
• Rather than tomato paste use sun dried tomatoes and roasted red peppers in place of red peppers 

Serving Options:

• Serve on crackers
• Tortillas
• Pita
• Focaccia bread
• Over warm Texas toast
• As a spread on hamburgers or sandwiches

Basil Pesto

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.


Makes 1 Cup

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Substitutes for Pine Nuts

• walnuts (the traditional sub)
• almonds

Pesto Pointers

Fresh basil is very delicate, and will turn brown if it gets very hot or if it's exposed to air for long periods of time. Many cooks use fresh spinach as well as basil in their pesto to help maintain its brilliant green color.
When mixing pesto with pasta, potatoes, or risotto, stir it in at the last minute, just before serving.
Store pesto in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week, or in the freezer for about six months.
Keep it looking fresh and green by covering the top with a thin layer of olive oil or with a sheet of plastic wrap directly on its surface; this will keep it from oxidizing and turning brown. (If your pesto darkens in color, it will still taste good. Only discard it if it has been stored improperly.)

One way to freeze pesto in manageable portion sizes is to freeze it in an ice cube tray, and transfer the cubes to a heavy duty plastic freezer bag. (Reserve an ice cube tray for this purpose, as it might discolor and flavor your plastic tray.) Thaw frozen pesto in the refrigerator or in the microwave on medium power just until room temperature.

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Serving Suggestions for Pesto

Although pesto is easy to make at home and will taste fresher than the purchased kind, you can also find it at the grocery store in shelf-stable jars, in the refrigerator case, or in the freezer section.
Try pesto:

• On pizza in place of or in addition to the red sauce 
• Added to a cream sauce or Alfredo sauce 
• Mixed with mayonnaise as a sandwich spread or burger topping 
• Stirred into mashed potatoes 
• Stirred into risotto 
• Dolloped on soup 
• Spread on crostini and topped with chopped tomatoes, smoked salmon, roasted red peppers or goat cheese 
• Whisked into scrambled eggs or folded into omelets
• In pasta salads, potato salads, or salad dressings
• Mixed with cream cheese and spread on a bagel 

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