Moroccan Dip
By Romeo Oloresisimo, executive chef at the Terrace Restaurant at Monte Creek Winery
Excerpted from ‘Okanagan Eats: Signature Chefs’ Recipes from British Columbia’s Wine Valleys’ by Dawn Postnikoff and Joanne Sasvari. Photography by Jon Adrian. Copyright © 2023 by Dawn Postnikoff and Joanne Sasvari. Recipes copyright © 2023 by individual restaurants. Excerpted with permission from Figure 1 Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Chef Romeo Oloresisimo brings a globetrotting palate to his menu for Monte Creek, and among the most popular dishes he serves is this Moroccan-inspired dip. Not quite a traditional hummus, it is fragrant with ras el hanout, a Middle Eastern spice blend traditionally used for chicken, lamb, grilled veggies, eggs and couscous. A perfect patio snack, it is also delicious with the kind of aromatic white wines Monte Creek is known for.
Serves 2 to 4
INGREDIENTS
Moroccan dip
Ras El Hanout
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1⁄4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1⁄4 tsp ground allspice
To serve
- 3 to 4 oz fresh goat cheese
- 1 tsp Ras El Hanout for sprinkling
- Mango chutney
- Flatbread, such as pita or naan, warmed
DIRECTIONS
Ras el hanout
Combine all ingredients in a jar. Close lid and shake well.
Moroccan dip
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft and translucent. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in garlic, ginger, ras el hanout and salt and cook for another 3 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. Chill in the fridge for at least 24 hours. If you prefer a smoother dip, you can purée it in a food processor before serving.
To serve
Reheat the dip in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Transfer to a heatproof serving bowl (chef suggests a tagine). Crumble goat cheese on top, then sprinkle with Ras El Hanout and garnish with a spoonful of mango chutney. Serve with warm flatbreads.
As co-founder of Edible Vancouver Island, Dawn Postnikoff shares her passion for coastal living and the local food and beverage culture with the Edible community. Having left the corporate world to become a golf course and restaurant owner in 2008, she now organizes several events and festivals each year, works closely with her local chefs’ association and promotes culinary tourism throughout the region. Dawn is mom to five “mostly grown-up” children and loves spending time outdoors when she isn’t playing in her kitchen or sipping wine with friends.
Joanne Sasvari is the editor of the magazines YAM, Vitis and The Alchemist and writes about food, drink and travel for Edible Vancouver, Destination BC, Food & Wine magazine and various other publications. She is also the author of the IACP-shortlisted book The Wickaninnish Cookbook, as well as Vancouver Eats, Island Eats and Paprika. In addition, she is a Canadian Wine Scholar, Level II BC Wine Ambassador and certified to Level III by the Wine and Spirits Education Trust.