Why dips are the safest party food

Am I the only partygoer in the world who avoids foods that can’t be gobbled in one bite? I find it difficult to carry on a polite conversation with a friend-of-a-friend when I’m trying to eat a not-so-mini mini quiche. Who wants to make small talk with the girl who’s choking on egg and cheese?

This is why I always hang around the dips. No matter how intense the conversation, I can dunk my celery stick or pitta wedge into a bowl of houmous or salsa and nibble at the tasty morsel without missing a beat. I might be left with a little dip-less stub of veg but that’s easy enough to eat inconspicuously.

When the tables are turned and I’m the hostess, I prefer dips to fussy canapés for quite another reason. The preparation time is minimal. Mash up fresh avocado, add chopped tomato, a few tablespoons of lime juice and a pinch of coriander and the guacamole is ready in 5 minutes, and you didn’t even need a measuring cup.

The dips listed here are easy to whip up. Think outside the bowl in terms of presentation. Try hollowing out a loaf of sourdough bread for the spinach artichoke dip, or set off the rich colour of your roast pepper and onion salsa by serving it in the bright, cheery shell of a yellow pepper. Houmous looks great when it’s passed around in cherry tomato shells. Just remember to make sure they’re bite-sized – especially if there are people like me on your guest list.

Recipes:

Healthy Guacamole

285g frozen peas
180ml cubed avocado
1.5 tbsp chopped coriander
1.5 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp chilli powder
¼ tsp salt

1. Drain and place cooked peas in a food processor.
2. Add remaining ingredients and and process to a coarse purée.
3. Serve immediately or transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

Creamy Feta Dip With Mint

8 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
8 tbsp plain yoghurt
8 tbsp soured cream
85g crumbled feta cheese
2 tsp finely chopped fresh mint
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

1. Place all ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Stir with a whisk to combine.
3. Cover and refrigerate one hour to overnight.

Houmous

Roast Pepper and Onion Salsa

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Tzatziki dip