Late summer is the perfect time to dip into the world of dips. With autumn seemingly in the air but temperatures still high, we’re all taking as many dips in our local swimming holes as we can. And upon returning from a long day of fun in the sun to a stuffy house and a fridge full of delicious Red Dog veggies, who would want to stand over their oven making a hot dinner? Heat and vegetable abundance combine to make dips, crudités, and handheld salads the ideal August meal. With a fresh bowl of your favorite dip in hand (or better yet, a tasting menu of several dips) you can easily crunch through your whole CSA share in no time, without a moment of sweating over the stove. Here are a few simple recipes for some of the most popular dips among the Red Dog crew—but this time of year, the possibilities are endless.

Pico de Gallo
•    Diced tomatoes (1 large or 2 medium tomatoes)
•    ¼ onion of your favorite variety, diced
•    Minced cilantro (to taste, around half a bunch)
•    Minced pepper (1/2 of a jalapeño for a traditional flavor, or use a small amount of a Red Dog sweet pepper for a milder flavor)
•    2 tablespoons lime juice
•    2 cloves minced garlic
•    Salt to taste

Mix the ingredients together. Enjoy with chips, in salads, on wraps, or however you like.

Tzatziki
•    1 cucumber
•    1 cup plain Greek yogurt
•    2 cloves minced garlic
•    Minced dill (around ½ bunch)
•    1 tsp. lemon zest
•    1 tsp. lemon juice
•    Salt and pepper to taste
•    Optional additions: 2 tbsp. each olive oil and/or chopped spearmint

Remove cucumber seeds and grate remainder; squeeze grated cucumber in a cloth bag or let sit to drain excess juices. Combine all ingredients and chill. Enjoy as a dip, salad dressing, or spread.

Roasted Pepper Hummus
•    1 sweet pepper
•    1 can of chickpeas/garbanzos or 2 cups cooked chickpeas/garbanzos
•    2 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
•    5 tbsp tahini
•    1 to 2 tsp sumac (optional, but adds a traditional flavor element)
•    1/2 tsp to 1 tsp smoked paprika (adjust to your liking)
•    2-3 tbsp lemon juice
•    3-4 tbsp olive oil
•    salt and pepper to taste

Cut pepper into 1” strips and remove seeds. Toss pepper strips in olive oil and roast at 450* F for 15-20 minutes, turning over halfway through bake time. Drain canned beans, reserving half of the liquid (if using home-cooked garbanzos, save about 1 cup of the cooking water). Combine all ingredients, including saved liquid from beans, in your food processor. Process until smooth, adding more olive oil if necessary to achieve desired consistency. Enjoy!

~Naomi