Caper Potato Garlic Dip Recipes

BAKED POTATO-GARLIC DIP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the potatoes until fork tender, about 1 hour. Cool, peel, discarding the skins, and break the potatoes into pieces.
• Process the almonds, olive oil and garlic in a food processor into a paste. Add the potato chunks, 1/2 cup water, lemon juice, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a generous grinding of black pepper. Pulse until the mixture just comes together into a thick dip. Take care not to over-process or the dip will be gummy. Season with additional salt and pepper.
• Spread the dip on a large serving dish. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter with the chives if using. Serve with vegetables and/or pita chips for dipping.

CAPER POTATO-GARLIC DIP

Steps:

• Squeeze the excess water from the soaked bread and place it in a food processor. Add the garlic and process until it forms a smooth paste. Add all but one tablespoon of the capers and process until smooth. With the motor running, add the olive oil, a little at a time. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice and the almonds and pulse to coarsely chop.
• Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl and fold in the mashed potato. (Do not do this in the food processor, or the potato will become gluey.) Season with pepper and, if necessary, salt to taste. Add more lemon juice to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.
• Stir in a few tablespoons of water if the dip is very thick. Garnish with the remaining tablespoon of capers. The dip can be served with sliced bread or crudites or over steamed or poached fish or used to make the octopus-with- garlic-sauce recipe that follows.

SKORDALIA (GREEK GARLIC POTATO DIP)

Steps:

• Peel and quarter the potatoes and add to a saucepan with enough cold salted water to cover by 1 inch. Place over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and continue to simmer until potatoes are tender, but not falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While potatoes are cooking, add garlic and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to a mortar and pestle. Crush into a fine paste and reserve.
• Drain potatoes, reserving some of the cooking water to thin the dip out with later if desired. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Transfer the potatoes to a mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher or potato ricer until smooth and lump free. Stir in garlic paste. Add lemon juice and vinegar and stir in with the masher.
• Whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil in 3 or 4 additions. Add cayenne and more salt if needed. Pass dip through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Serve at room temperature, garnished with olive oil and oregano.

OCTOPUS WITH GARLIC SAUCE

Steps:

• If using fresh octopus, rinse it well and place in a heavy, nonreactive pot. Cook over medium heat, covered, for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the octopus is fork-tender, adding a few tablespoons of water as needed. If using frozen octopus, place it in the pot still frozen and cook over medium-low heat, turning frequently, until thawed. Remove from heat.
• Drain the octopus, reserving the cooking liquid, and cut it into bite-size pieces. Place in a serving bowl. Stir in a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid to thin the dip to sauce consistency. Pour over the octopus and cool to room temperature. Garnish with reserved capers and serve.

GARLICKY CAESAR DIP

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the lemon juice, anchovies, garlic, mustard and Worcestershire sauce and process until smooth.
• Add the cream cheese, Parmesan and mayonnaise and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
• Taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for up to 3 days before serving. Top dip with parsley, if using, and serve with crudités and potato chips.