Scoop, Share, Repeat

A good gathering does not need a complicated menu. These three easy dips are made for sharing: whipped feta with hot honey, charred corn with jalapeño and lime, and a fresh salmon and herb dip. Add flatbread, crackers and something crisp, then dig in.

Ingredients

• 250g smoked salmon
• 1C cream cheese, at room temperature
• ¼ C lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• ¼ C gherkins, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp capers, chopped
• 1 generous pinch cayenne pepper

Instructions

• Remove bones and skin from salmon, and flake.
• Place half of the salmon into a bowl with the cream cheese, lemon juice, dill and cayenne pepper.  Mash with a fork.
• Fold in the remaining salmon, gherkins and capers.

Serve with toasted bread, crostini, bruschetta or crackers.

Ingredients

• 400g feta
• 200g cream cheese or thick Greek yoghurt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Hot honey

• ½ cup honey
• 1 to 1½ tsp chilli flakes, depending on how spicy you want it

To finish

• ⅓ cup roughly chopped toasted pistachios
• Fresh thyme
• Flaky sea salt
• Extra olive oil, optional 

Instructions

• Blend the feta, cream cheese or yoghurt, olive oil and lemon juice until completely smooth and creamy. Spread it over a large shallow serving plate, creating a few swirls and little pockets for the honey.
• Gently warm the honey and chilli flakes together for a minute or two, then drizzle generously over the feta. Finish with pistachios, thyme, black pepper and a tiny pinch of flaky salt.

Serve with warm flatbreads cut into wedges, crostini and crackers.

Ingredients

• 2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups corn kernels
• 1 jalapeño, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• Juice of 2 limes
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• Salt and black pepper

To finish

• Extra charred corn
• Finely sliced jalapeño
• Fresh coriander
• Lime zest
• Chilli oil or extra olive oil
• A little flaky salt

Instructions 

• Char the corn in a hot dry frying pan until it gets plenty of golden, slightly smoky edges. Set a handful aside for topping.
• Blend the beans, remaining corn, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, smoked paprika and cumin until creamy. Add a splash of cold water if you want it looser, then season well.
• Spread it dramatically over a large, shallow plate rather than in a bowl. Top with the reserved charred corn, jalapeño, coriander and lime zest, then drizzle over chilli oil.

Serve with tortilla chips, warm flatbread and crunchy vegetables.