FOOD
A good dip is an elite addition to anything you're eating. Leisurely lunches, weekend dinners in the sunshine, or even the perfect addition to Aperol Spritz for an aperitif, a dip is not just a dip. In summer, when the heat makes appetite unpredictable and the best meals happen around a shared table or on the edge of a pool, a few well-made dips can carry you through every kind of hosting. The key is simplicity, the small details, and choosing ingredients with flavour, no beige food here.
Whipped Feta with Olive Oil
Tangy, salty and cooling. Blend Greek feta with a little Greek yoghurt or labneh until smooth. Drizzle with Palestinian olive oil, dust with smashed pistachios, and serve with warm flatbread or raw cucumber spears. Optional but excellent: crushed pistachios or a few torn mint leaves.
White Bean Hummus
Silkier than chickpea hummus and feels a bit more upgraded, we're slightly hummus'd out of the other one if we're honest. Blend canned cannellini beans with lemon zest, olive oil, garlic, and a spoon of tahini. Finish with lemon zest, a splash of vinegar, flaky salt, and a few rosemary leaves fried until crisp.
Slow Roasted Tomato & Burrata Smash
This is more of a spoonable topping than a dip, but it deserves a place on the table. Roast cherry tomatoes low and slow with garlic, thyme, and olive oil until jammy. Crush slightly with burrata and top with olive oil and black pepper. Serve with toasted sourdough or sturdy crackers.
Smoked Aubergine with Yoghurt & Dill Oil
Inspired by the moutabel but slightly lighter, somewhere between moutabel and baba ghanoush. Char aubergine until smoky, scoop out the flesh and mash with lemon, salt, and a little garlic. Swirl in cold, thick yoghurt and drizzle with fresh dill oil (blend fresh dill with oil and strain). Add toasted sesame seeds if you're extra.
Ricotta with Lemon Zest, Honey & Thyme
Whip whole-milk ricotta with a splash of olive oil until smooth. Top with lemon zest, a drizzle of raw honey, and a few picked thyme leaves. Crack black pepper over the top. Serve with warm baguette slices or fig crackers.
Green Tahini with Preserved Lemon
Bright and herbal. Blitz tahini with loads of fresh parsley, coriander, lemon juice, and a sliver of preserved lemon. Add a bit of water or ice cubes to get the texture right. Ideal to jazz up other dips like adding to tzatziki or the aforementioned slightly overdone hummus. You can also spoon it over more substantial snacks such as halved hard boiled eggs or kebab skewers.
Anchovy Butter & Crushed Peas
Less traditional, but unforgettable. Mash blanched peas with softened butter, chopped anchovies, lemon zest, and black pepper. Serve room temp with a mint garnish and lightly toasted ciabatta.
Labneh with Burnt Butter & Crispy Garlic
Spread labneh on a shallow plate. Heat butter until golden, then add sliced garlic and fry until crisp. Pour the butter and garlic over the labneh, finish with a few chilli flakes and chopped parsley. Serve warm. It’s rich, but incredible.
Chilled Green Pea & Mint Purée
Blitz cooked peas with mint, lemon juice, olive oil, and a spoonful of crème fraîche. It should be bright and silky. Top with pea shoots and a pinch of flaky salt. Works beautifully with cold rosé and crispy potatoes for dipping.
Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Muhammara
Char red peppers (or use jarred), then blend with toasted walnuts, olive oil, garlic, a spoon of pomegranate molasses, and a pinch of cumin. Finish with chopped chives, walnuts, pomegranate seeds and a glug of oil. Serve with seeded flatbread.
Yoghurt & Harissa Swirl with Toasted Pine Nuts
Layer thick Greek yoghurt with harissa paste, swirl to marble, then top with toasted pine nuts and fresh mint. Cool and spicy, the contrast works with chicken kebabs or crudités.
Smoked Trout Pâté with Crème Fraîche & Horseradish
Flake smoked trout and mix with crème fraîche, horseradish, lemon juice, and chives. Serve chilled, with rye crisps or cucumber slices. Very grown-up, very fresh.
Roasted Beet & Walnut with Goat Cheese Crumble
Roast beets with olive oil, salt and a bit of garlic. Layer on top of labneh and top with dill, pistachios and more olive oil. Vibrant and dramatic as part of a bigger table spread.
You'll find us serving with torn baguette, thick crisps, raw veg, seeded crackers. Scatter herbs. Chill your wine. Let everyone hover and graze. Golden hour light, great rosé, even better company and a few excellent dips are all you need to make it feel like summer is going very well.