2 dashing dips: guacamole with a kick and hot crab

You've got the sliced veggies and chips, now where's your dip? These two savoury recipes are sure to please the crowd.

These dips — one cool, one hot — are a perfect pairing for your next dinner party or backyard barbecue.

Chunks of onion, tomato and jalapeño peppers add so much zing to this zesty dip, your mouth will sing! Yogurt and sour cream stretch two avocados to feed a horde of hungry tortilla chip-dunkers.

Prep time 20 min 

Makes 750 millilitres (3 cups)

• 125 ml (1/2 c) plain yogurt
• 2 small jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced (wear gloves when handling)
• 2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 30 g (2 tbsp) minced cilantro
• 2 g (1/2 tsp) salt
• 125 ml (1/2 c) sour cream
• 2 large Haas avocados, peeled, halved and pitted
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) fresh lime juice

1. Line the bottom of a strainer with cheesecloth, a coffee filter or paper towels and set over a medium bowl (strainer should not touch the bottom of the bowl). Spoon in the yogurt, cover and refrigerate eight hours or over­night, until yogurt "cheese" is thick and creamy.
2. Mix the jalapeños, tomatoes, onion, cilantro and salt in large bowl. Fold in the yogurt cheese and sour cream.
3. In a large bowl, mash the avocadoes with a potato masher until mashed but not completely smooth. Sprinkle with the lime juice and quickly fold into the tomato mixture.
4. Serve immediately or press plastic wrap against the surface and refrigerate for up to four hours before serving.

For an even greater kick, add one small diced serrano pepper instead of the jalapeño. Add a peeled, diced mango to crown the top of the guacamole for a festive look.

All along the Gulf Coast, crab is gobbled up with bowls of melted butter for dipping. Skip the butter and enjoy this favourite seafood in a hot and creamy dip with chunks of crab in every bite. Serve piping hot with crackers or bagel chips.

Prep time 15 min 

Cook time 20 min 

Makes 750 millilitres (3 cups)

• 350 g (12 oz) fresh lump crabmeat or 2 cans (175 g/6 oz each) lump crabmeat, drained
• 1 package (225 g/8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 250 ml (1 c) sour cream
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) prepared horseradish
• 10 ml (2 tsp) Worcestershire sauce
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) hot red-pepper sauce
• 45 g (3 tbsp) plain dry bread crumbs
• 2 g (1/2 tsp) paprika

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Coat a gratin dish or deep-dish pie plate with oil or cooking spray.
2. Pick through the crabmeat, discarding any shells and cartilage. Rinse the crabmeat and drain.
3. Stir the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Blend in the sour cream, onion, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and red-pepper sauce. Gently fold in the crab meat. Spoon into the baking dish and smooth out the top.
4. Combine the bread crumbs and paprika in a cup and sprinkle evenly over the crab meat mixture. Bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes.

If you can't get good crabmeat or don't like it, make this dip with canned tuna or salmon. In that case, add 30 grams (two tablespoons) grated Parmesan cheese to the dip for extra flavour.

--------------------

Discover the smarter way to save time and money

Ready to start saving more on your groceries and pharmacy purchases? Download the FREE YP Grocery app today! It lets you create shareable shopping lists, automatically finds all the best deals and coupons, then delivers them right to you. No more manually scrolling through hundreds of flyers to find what you’re looking for!

Download the YP Grocery app now!