Scoop ‘n’ munch

Hosting a Super Bowl party and providing a food spread can be labor intensive or expensive, if not both. Some hosts put in long hours at the grill while others choose convenient pizza with home delivery that drains the wallet.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Instead, set out an array of easy-to-make dips that offer varied tastes while satisfying hunger pangs.

Dips are logical for football fans who will find scoop-and-munch dining an easy way to cheer and eat throughout the game.

Meanwhile, their significant others can enjoy a spread that allows for mingling. It’s small-plate perfection.

Here are a few basics before assembling your dip menu: First, there are two main bases for dips and two kinds of dippers, says chef Grant Sato, an instructor at Kapiolani Community College.

"Dips are usually dairy- or vegetable-based. Dippers are either crispy or absorbant," he says.

Ingredients such as sour cream, cream cheese or yogurt are embellished with seasonings and chopped or minced items to create a flavorful dip.

"The fat content makes the dip creamy or savory," Sato says. "If you’re looking for a good substitute for the fat, puréed silken tofu has a creamy texture."

Vegetable-based dips, meanwhile, such as baba ganoush or hummus (puréed eggplant and garbanzo beans, respectively), have so much starch that they offer exceptional body and richness.

Dippers should be either porous for absorbency or crunchy for contrast. Porous dippers such as crostini and broccoli florets hold dips well. Then there are trendy dippers such as tortilla-chip "scoopers" that work well with liquidy dips like salsa.

Here’s a handy tip: "Score carrots with a fork. That provides a sticking point for the dip," Sato suggests.

For our Super Bowl collection, Sato offers a fresh salsa using local sweet corn and tomatoes, accompanied by toasted pita chips that take no more than 20 minutes, start to finish.

Waipio-Gentry resident Eric Hasegawa shares a clam dip with a secret weapon. It’s a trick Hasegawa learned from an uncle: If making salty stuff, add a little sugar, he says. "It balances out the flavor."

There’s also a mainstay, rich spinach and artichoke baked dip.

Asian cooking expert Walter Rhee contributes a Korean dipping sauce, chogochujang, that builds on the flavor of gochujang paste.

Chogochujang works well with crudites, as a topping for cold tofu and sashimi, a marinade and, most traditionally and deliciously, a dip for dried anchovies.

Rhee’s updated recipe replaces the standard ingredient of vinegar with lime juice, which he says "brightens up the flavor."

SWEET CORN AND TOMATO SALSA

Courtesy Chef Grant Sato, Kapiolani Community College

3 ears sweet local corn
2 local vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 Maui or sweet onion, cut into a 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cut kernels from corn cobs. In a bowl, combine with tomato, onion, green onion, garlic and salt. Mix well or lomi (gently “massage”). Taste and season with more salt if needed. Fold in cilantro and lemon juice and serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 3 days.

Serve with tortilla chips; especially good with lime-flavored chips. Serves 8.

Note: Always season with salt before adding lemon juice, as seasoning enhances the acidity of the juice.

Approximate nutritional information, per 2 tablespoon serving: 60 calories, 0.5 g fat, no saturated fat, no cholesterol, 300 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 2 g protein

GUACAMOLE WITH SRIRACHA SAUCE

Courtesy Stephanie Kendrick

2 ripe avocados
1/4 cup cilantro leaves or more, to taste
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 small white onion, diced
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
1/2 teaspoon fine or freshly ground sea salt

Slice avocado in half lengthwise and remove pit. Using a sharp paring knife, cut a rough grid into the avocado flesh without piercing skin. Scoop flesh into a bowl, discarding any hard or bruised spots.

Place cilantro leaves into coffee cup and cut to desired size using kitchen shears. Add to avocado. Add remaining ingredients. Use potato dicer and mash to desired consistency. Makes 2 to 3 cups.

Approximate nutritional information, per 2 tablespoon serving: 35 calories, 2.5 g fat, no saturated fat, no cholesterol, 70 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 1 g protein

EASY BABA GANOUSH

Courtesy chef Grant Sato, Kapiolani Community College

1 round or 4 long eggplant
1 bulb roasted garlic or 1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive or salad oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons tahini (ground sesame seeds)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly prick eggplant with fork to create vent holes in skin. Place in baking dish and roast 10 minutes for the long eggplant and 15 to 20 minutes for larger round.

Cut the top off bulb of garlic, exposing cloves. Place bulb in center of a 10-by-10-inch piece of foil, drizzle oil over exposed cloves and seal foil around bulb. Place in oven with eggplant and roast 20 minutes.

Let garlic cool about 10 minutes. Also cool eggplant.

Scrape roasted flesh of eggplant out of skin and place in medium bowl. Squeeze garlic from bulb and place in bowl, adding excess oil from foil pouch, or add minced garlic if using that instead. Add salt and mix well with wire whip or spatula. Add tahini and parsley, and stir just until combined. Taste and add salt if desired.

Add lemon juice, mix well and serve immediately, or refrigerate up to 3 days. Serves 8.

Notes: Ingredients can be mixed in food processor to make a smoother Baba Ganoush. Always season with salt before adding lemon juice, because seasoning enhances the acidity of the juice.

Approximate nutritional information, per 2 tablespoon serving: 50 calories, 4 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 300 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 1 g protein

CHOGOCHUJANG

Courtesy Walter Rhee

1 part gochujang (Korean chili sauce)
1 part chopped green onions
1 part chopped garlic
1 part sugar
1 part vinegar or lime juice
1 part water

Mix everything and set aside for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Nutritional information unavailable.

SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP

Food.com

2 cups parmesan cheese
1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup cream cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons garlic, minced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix together Parmesan cheese, spinach and artichoke hearts.

Combine remaining ingredients and stir into spinach mixture. Bake 20 to 30 minutes. Serve with crackers or toasted bread. Makes 4-1/2 cups.

Approximate nutritional information, 2 tablespoon serving: 80 calories, 7 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, no sugar, 3 g protein

CLAM DIP

Courtesy Eric Hasegawa

12 ounces cream cheese
1 (6.5 ounce) can minced clams
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Dehydrated parsley (optional)
Garlic powder, to taste

Place cream cheese in bowl.

Drain clams in another bowl and set aside, and add clam juice to cream cheese. Whisk to break up lumps. Add garlic salt and sugar. Sprinkle with dehydrated parsley for color and garlic powder to taste. Mix in clams. Makes about 1-1/2 cups.

Approximate nutritional information, per 2 tablespoon serving: 110 calories, 10 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 1 g carbohydrate, no fiber, no sugar, 3 g protein

BLACK BEAN LIME HUMMUS

Newhouse News Service

2 cloves garlic
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Dried banana chips or tortilla chips

Place garlic in food processor and process until minced, about 10 seconds. Add beans, lime juice and salt, and process into purée.

With processor running, slowly add olive oil in steady stream through feed tube. Process until mixture thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cilantro and pulse about 10 seconds.

Serve with banana chips or tortilla chips. Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional information, per 2 tablespoon serving (not including chips): 70 calories, 4.5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 150 mg sodium, 4 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, no sugar, 2 g protein

CREAMY MEDITERRANEAN DIP

"Light & Healthy 2012" by the Editors at America’s Test Kitchen

1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1/4 cup coarsely chopped jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed and patted dry
3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and minced
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt

Combine mayonnaise, red peppers, capers, water, basil, oil, lemon juice, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt in food processor; process until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Transfer mixture to bowl and stir in yogurt. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate dip until thickened, at least 1 hour. Makes about 1-1/2 cups.

Approximate nutritional information, per 3-tablespoon serving (not including bread): 45 calories, 3 g total fat, no saturated fat, no cholesterol, 320 mg sodium, 4 g carbohydrate, no fiber, 2 g protein

TOASTED PITA CHIPS

Courtesy chef Grant Sato, Kapiolani Community College

1 6-piece bag pita bread
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Slice pita in half horizontally to separate into 2 discs, then cut each disc into quarters or sixths.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On cookie sheet, place pieces with rough, inner side facing up; drizzle or brush on olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until pita is crispy and golden brown. Serves 4.

Note: For more complex flavor, dry spices can be sprinkled on pita before crisping in oven. Try curry powder, paprika, ground cumin or a mixture.

Approximate nutritional information, per serving: 350 calories, 120 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, greater than 1,000 mg sodium, 51 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 9 g protein

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Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.

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Email Grant Sato at grantsat@hawaii.edu and Walter Rhee at walter@waltereatshawaii.com