A Middle Eastern favorite that has taken on global appeal in the last 20 years, hummus is a perfect party dip that you can shape to your own tastes. Add roasted red pepper, pumpkin, edamame, canned chipotles, avocado or onion to the mix. For garnishes, try black olives,  pomegranate seeds, cilantro or basil leaves, or a dry, crumbly cheese like cotija.

“The Hurt Locker” Hummus

3 cups (about 1 1/2 pounds) dried garbanzo beans, picked over, soaked overnight in cold water and drained, or 6 cups canned garbanzo beans, drained, reserving the liquid
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
8 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon salt, or more, to taste
1/2 cup tahini (see note)
Crushed red pepper, to taste (optional)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Toasted pine nuts, for garnish
Chopped mint leaves, for garnish
Sumac, for garnish

Place the garbanzos in a pot of lightly salted water to cover by several inches. Bring to a boil over high heat. The beans will begin to foam within 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the foam with a skimmer and continue to cook, partially covered, until the beans are tender, 1 to 3 hours. Add boiling water to keep the garbanzos covered until they are soft. When done, remove 1 1/2 cups cooking water, then drain the rest. Return the beans to the cooking pot and, when cool enough to touch, remove the skins.

Process the garbanzos, 1/2 cup olive oil and 1 cup of the drained cooking water in a food processor until creamy.

Pound the garlic with 1 tablespoon salt until it is a creamy mush.

In a small bowl, mix the tahini, red pepper, if using, and lemon  juice. If it is too thick, add water (not more lemon juice). Stir the tahini mixture into the garlic and salt. Stire this into the garbanzo mixture, adjust the salt, season with pepper. Check the consistency. If it is too thick, add some of the remaining cooking water until it is smooth.

Spoon hummus into a serving dish. Warm the remaining olive oil. Make a spiral or fan-shaped swirl in the hummus and fill with the warm olive oil. Garnish with toasted pine nuts around the edges and a sprinkling of chopped mint on top. Sprinkle sumac over the top of the whole. Serve with warm pita bread or pita chips.

Note: Tahini, a sesame seed paste, is available at many supermarkets, specialty grocers such as Central Market or Whole Foods, or at Middle Eastern markets.

Makes 6 servings.

Adapted from “Little Foods of the Mediterranean” by Clifford W. Wright

This dip is not for most dieters, though it would certainly work on a low-carb plan. Just serve it with celery instead of chips. It can be made up to two days in advance.

Bacon and Cheddar Dip

6 slices bacon, divided use
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded extra-sharp cheddar
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
3 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped, divided use
Hot sauce, to taste

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp, about 6 minutes (starting the bacon in a cold skillet reduces shrinkage and splattering). Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool.

Chop the bacon. Wrap and refrigerate 2 tablespoons for the garnish.

[amazon-product]0060002239[/amazon-productStir the cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, the remaining bacon and two-thirds of the scallions together in a bowl. Season with hot sauce. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the reserved bacon and the remaining scallions. Serve chilled.

What to dip: potato chips, tortilla chips, baguette slices, crostini, flatbread crisps, broccoli florets, carrot sticks, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes, zucchini slices.

From “Dip It!” by Rick Rodgers

This spicy dip can be made 1 day in advance.

Cajun Shrimp and Artichoke Dip

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning (see below) or salt-free store-bought seasoning
8 ounces cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp, coarsely chopped
2 (6-ounce) jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/3 cup drained and coarsely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cajun Seasoning
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

For dip: Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream and Cajun Seasoning in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and scallions, mixing well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate to blend the flavors, at least 1 hour or overnight.

[amazon-product]0060002239[/amazon-product]For Cajun Seasoning: Mix paprika, basil, thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne pepper together. Makes about 1/3 cup. Use as a seasoning for dips, popcorn, salads, grilled foods and in Cajun and Creole cooking.

What to dip: potato chips, tortilla chips, baguette slices, crostini, flatbread crisps, carrot sticks, celery, sticks, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, mushroom caps and zucchini slices.

From “Dip It” by Rick Rodgers

The muffuletta, a round submarine sandwich with olive salad on it, is a New Orleans creation dating back to the early 1900s. “This chunky, salty, almost spicy dip does credit to its inspiration,” writes Sally Sampson in “Party Dips!”  It can also be made a day ahead.

New Orleans-style Muffuletta Dip

1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives, drained
1/2 cup pitted brine-cured black olives (such as Kalamata), drained
1/4 cup coarsely chopped red onion
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves, to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, or more to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise

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Place the olives, onion, garlic and basil in a food processor and pulse until chopped. Transfer to a small mixing bowl and stir in the oregano, lemon juice, mustard, Tabasco and mayonnaise until well combined. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to overnight to let the flavors develop.

Upon removing from refrigerator, mix well, transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Serve with pita chips or thin slices of toast.

From “Party Dips!” by Sally Sampson

Want to get a little fancy on Super Bowl Sunday? The aroma and flavor of truffle oil make this simple dip simply irresistible. It can be made days ahead of time, too.

Truffled Goat Cheese Spread

1 (9-ounce) log goat cheese, at room temperature
2 to 3 teaspoons truffle oil, or to taste
4 radishes, trimmed and grated
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Place the cheese, oil, radishes and chives in a small mixing bowl and mash together with a fork to combine.

Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. If refrigerated, let soften a bit before serving, if desired.

[amazon-product]1558322787[/amazon-product]Variation: Use an 8-ounce package of cream cheese instead of the goat cheese.

Garnish with more scallions or radish slices, if desired.

Serve with cucumber rounds, slices of celery or triangles of thinly sliced pumpernickel.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

From “Party Dips!” by Sally Sampson

A creamy variation on guacamole.

This  salsa is one of my standbys for taking to potlucks and parties. The ease of making it in a blender is just part of the appeal.  I like this dip thick, but if you want to stretch those avocados further, add more of the Herdez Salsa Verde (canned tomatillo salsa).

I also use this as a salad dressing. Make it up fresh and use right away, otherwise, your pretty green dressing will go the way of guacamole left out too long and become brown dressing.

Finally, the Texas chain Ninfa’s, that used to have a restaurant in San Antonio, had a famous table sauce that is much like the one I make.  I don’t know exactly how they make theirs, but this is how I was making mine before I set foot in a Ninfa’s. Nevertheless, here is a friendly nod to Ninfa’s Green Sauce.

Creamy Avocado Salsa

2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chopped onion
4-6 sprigs, without stems, fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup sour cream (light is OK)
2 large Hass avocados, peeled, pitted and roughly chopped
1/4 cup Herdez Salsa Verde (a little more than half of a 7-ounce can)
2 dashes of Tabasco sauce
Juice from 1 lemon (no seeds) or lime
1 roasted, peeled anaheim (Hatch) chile
1/4 teaspoon finely minced serrano chile, optional
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Put the garlic, onion, cilantro, sour cream, avocados, salsa verde, Tabasco sauce and lemon or lime juice into a blender. Pulse and blend until the ingredients are well puréed. Scrape into a medium bowl, then fold in the minced serranos. Cover right away with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator so the flavors can blend, 15-20 minutes or so. When you take out, taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper now, to taste. If you’re serving with chips, remember these are salty, so don’t over-salt the dip.

For salad dressing: Make the same way, but leave out the minced chiles if you don’t want the heat (I like the heat, though). Scoop sauce on top of fresh greens and toss gently to distribute. Serve right away.

Makes about 3 cups of dip.

From Bonnie Walker

Photos by Bonnie Walker

Need a quick dip this holiday season? Serve this “with a platter of crudités, alongside crackers or bread, or, sometimes as a topping for grilled fish,” suggests author David Leite in “The New Portuguese Table.”

Green Olive Dip

1/3 cup whole milk
6 oil-packed anchovy fillets
1 small garlic clove, smashed
Leaves and tender stems of 6 fresh cilantro sprigs, divided use
Pinch of freshly ground white pepper
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup pitted green olives, such as Manzanilla, rinsed quickly if particularly salty, roughly chopped

[amazon-product]0307394417[/amazon-product]Add the milk, anchovies, garlic, two thirds of the cilantro, and the pepper to a blender and pulse to combine. With the motor running, pour in the oil in what the Portuguese call a fio, or fine thread. Keep whirring until the oil is incorporated and the mixture thickens, 30 to 40 seconds.

Scrape the dip into a serving bowl and stir in the olives. Mince the remaining cilantro, sprinkle on top and serve.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

From “The New Portuguese Table” by David Leite

Bagna Cauda

This classic dish comes from the Piedmont region of Italy and the name means “hot bath.” Some like to put more garlic into the sauce, so you can play with the ingredients and shape the dish to your tastes.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (2-ounce) can anchovy fillets packed in olive oil, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes.

[amazon-product]0811822001[/amazon-product]Stir the anchovies into the garlic, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend well. Reduce the heat to keep the mixture barely simmering and cook, stirring frequently, until the oil is well flavored, 10 t0 15 minutes; do not allow to brown or burn.

To serve, transfer the hot dip to a heatproof serving dish placed on a warming tray. Serve with raw and/or steamed vegetables as well as pieces of crusty Italian bread.

Makes 8 servings.

Adapted from “The Sutter Home Napa Valley Cookbook” by James McNair