San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
A sweet and spicy take on French onion dip
Let the oven do the work for this easy party appetizer
Are you looking for an easy “let the oven do the work” kind of an appetizer for a New Year’s Eve party? You probably want something that is transportable as well. Look no further: Here is my Roasted Onion and Poblano Dip With Masala Peanuts, a sweet and spicy take on the American classic French onion dip.
I give this dip a Californian and Indian twist with roasted poblano peppers — one of my favorite ways to add spice and flavor to any dish — and masala peanuts, which add a punchy crunch factor.
The original dip was created by a Los Angeles homemaker in 1954 in the post-World War II era. She mixed sour cream with Lipton’s instant onion soup mix. It became so popular, the recipe eventually gained a place on the packaging.
My recipe starts by making masala peanuts, a common street food in Mumbai. You can find it on every corner of any street.
Rain or shine, vendors will be there, hanging out with deep baskets filled with roasted peanuts. They’ll also have spices, such as red chili, chaat masala, amchur (dried mango powder) and salt, and you could add fresher ingredients like lemon, tomatoes and raw mango. The seasoned nuts go into little paper cones for customers.
There was one such vendor outside my school growing up. Before heading home, my brother and I would often get an after-school snack from him with the paisas, or pennies, that my mom gave us. Those are some of my sweetest memories.
To prepare the peanuts at home, I toss them in oil and spices, then bake them in the oven until they turn lightly golden brown. Next, I slide a tray of onions, garlic cloves and poblano pepper into the oven until the onions caramelize.
That step is crucial, just like how most North Indian curries start off with caramelizing onions in fat. It brings out the sweetness from the onions and carries the flavor into the final dish.
The creamy portion of the dip consists of goat cheese, cream cheese and Greek yogurt. I add lemon juice for sourness, garlic and the roasted poblano pepper. (Feel free to remove the seeds from the pepper if you want to tone down the spice.) The food processor does the work here.
Then we add a burst of onion flavor: chopped caramelized onions, chives and green onions. Coarsely chopped masala peanuts bring the crunch. I serve this dip alongside crudités like carrots, cucumbers and radishes, as well as potato chips, of course. I love how it comes together fairly quickly with minimal active work during the busiest time of the year. Happy holidays!