7-Layer Mediterranean Dip

Rather than spend all day trying to figure which of my favorite Mediterranean flavors I wanted to have as a dip for the Super Bowl I decided to combine them all together into a 7-layer monstrosity. The result was a creamy, tangy, garlicky dip that kept me coming back for more.

Pictured without the olives

Layers: You will need enough of each of these to cover the size of your dip dish.
Humus
Feta
Browned ground lamb
Skordalia (potato garlic dip)
Eggplant puree
Tzatziki sauce (Yogurt Cucumber)
Chopped tomato, red onion and Kalamata olives


Humus: You can either buy your favorite from the store, or place one can of drained chickpeas (keep the liquid) in a blender with ¼ cup Tahini (sesame seed paste), juice of one lemon, 2 cloves of garlic, ¼ cup of olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp  pepper. Blend on high till smooth. If the Humus is too thick add some of the chickpea liquid to loosen it up.

Lamb: Add a 1-TBS of oil (Canola or Olive) to a sauté pan heated on medium heat. Brown your ground lamb with 1-tsp of salt, 1/8th tsp of cumin, 1/8th tsp of cinnamon, and 1/8th tsp of black pepper. Drain the excess fat and set aside.

Skordalia: Peel, dice, and boil two Russet potatoes until fork tender. In a food processor combine the boiled potatoes, ¼ cup olive oil, 6 cloves of garlic, the juice of half a lemon, and 2-TBS of white wine vinegar. Puree till smooth.

Eggplant Puree: You could substitute store bought Baba Ganoush but I was looking for more of an lemony eggplant flavor. In retrospect I’d recommend using Baba Ganoush as the flavor of the eggplant lemon puree got lost in between the big flavors of the Skordalia and Tzatziki.  Slice 1-eggplant into rounds and roast at 350 degrees until soft (about 10 minutes on each side). Remove the skin and puree in a food processor with the juice of one lemon, 1 clove of garlic, ½ tsp of salt, 1/8th tsp of pepper. At this point you have what I used for my dip. To make Baba Ganoush add a handful of fresh parsley, 1/8th cup of Tahini paste, and 1-TBS of olive oil.

Tzatziki Sauce: In a bowl combine 2 cups of any plain Greek style yogurt, juice of ½ a lemon, 1 clove of minced garlic, ½ of a seedless cucumber seeded and diced, 1-2 TBS diced mint leaves, ½ tsp of salt, 2 TBS olive oil, 1/8th tsp of pepper. Stir together until combined.

Assembly: In your serving dish spread a layer of Humus over the bottom. Next add enough feta to just cover the Humus. On top of the feta spread the browned lamb mixture, then cover with a thin layer of the Skordalia (It’s important this layer be thin as the garlicky nature of the puree will dominate the whole dish if spread to thick). On top of the Skordalia add a layer of your eggplant puree or Baba Ganoush, then top with a layer of Tzatziki. On top of the Tzatziki add a combination of diced tomato, red onion and pitted Kalamata olives.

Dip tastes best if you allow it to sit for a day prior to serving. When ready serve with plain pita chips. You may also want to have a spoon handy to ensure you get all 7-layers on your chip.