Season 2, Episode 4
Easy and Stylish Party Dips
Jack asks Frederic for some finger food assistance with some pointers for perfect party dips.
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Episode Guide
Below you’ll find a helpful episode guide for cooking along with Frederic and Jack, as well as tips and recipe rescues.
Equipment List:
- Blender
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Dry measuring cups
- Rubber spatula
- Measuring spoons
- Large pot
- Large bowl
- Vegetable peeler
- Spider or slotted spoon
- Pairing knife
- Sieve or colander
- Coffee filter
- Zester or rasp
- Pepper mill
Tips:
Blanching and Shocking:
- Blanch vegetables for only 10 – 20 seconds in heavily salted water. For a crudite, the vegetables should still be crisp, not soft and mushy.
- Shocking in ice water helps stop the cooking process and helps set the bright color of vegetables.
- Salting the water also helps set the color, and it draws out flavor.
- If you only have 1 pot to use for blanching, then blanch the mildest vegetables first, and proceed to the strongest flavored ones.
Fresh basil:
- It is imperative to use fresh basil (as opposed to dried) to make the Basil Aioli, as it adds flavor, color, and texture.
- Basil is highly perishable; look for unblemished leaves with no dark spots. Do not wash or cut basil until immediately before using. Store basil in your refrigerator, wrapped in damp but well-wrung paper towels covered with plastic wrap or in a plastic bag.
Draining yogurt:
- Place plain or low-fat yogurt in a coffee filter set in a sieve set over a bowl, and let sit for 1 – 2 hours until thickened.
- This restores some creaminess and lends more body to watery yogurt without adding fat.
Recipe Rescues:
- The dip is too thin – Add more mayonnaise to the Basil Aioli. Add more drained yogurt plus a few more red peppers and sun-dried tomatoes to the Roasted Red Pepper and Sun-dried Tomato Dip. Blend again.
- The dip is too thick – Add 1 tablespoon water and blend again. Add more water if necessary.
- Vegetables are over-blanched – Try to prevent overcooking by immediately plunging blanched vegetables into an ice water bath to stop the cooking. It is better to undercook vegetables for a crudite, and then blanch them again briefly.
- If your vegetables are wilted or dried out – Follow instructions for properly storing different types of vegetables. Do not wash vegetable
Recipes From This Episode
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