A Dip for the Gods

Last weekend I was reminded of the importance of layering.

No, I was not going on a hike where it was necessary to layer my clothing for protection against all possible changes in the weather. I simply attended two parties in which the classic 7-Layer Dip made an appearance, in both traditional, and non-traditional, forms.

You know what I’m talking about, right? Well, if you are from the East Coast you do. While here in Texas, the Southwestern party dip of choice is undoubtedly queso, back East we make 7-Layer Dip.
In addition to that feast of avocado, beans, sour cream, cheese, etc….there are all sorts of other wonderful layered recipes, from trifles to “Hello, Dolly!” bars (It’s so nice to have you back where you belong…) to something called 7-Layer Salad that I vaguely remember my mom making when I was little to take to potlucks that involved frozen peas. In my culinary world, I love to just keep adding more ingredients to a dish, figuring if they taste great separately, why not make them taste great together? So for me, layering is key.

All of these “traditional” recipes interestingly have seven layers. But why stop at seven? After eating the traditional Southwestern-style dip at my friend Mike’s birthday party last Friday, I was treated to a Mediterranean spin on the classic with a nine-layer dip featuring hummus, roasted red peppers, artichokes…and all things wonderful…made by my friend Rebecca.

Her recipe was great, and, when faced last night with the task of creating something fairly impressive but simple, healthy, and inexpensive that I could quickly prepare with little thought, as it was Friday evening and I was tired from the week at work…I knew that I needed to recreate it.

I gathered together my ingredients…
…which included fridge and pantry staples (at least for me), such as Greek yogurt, hummus, and feta cheese…
…and some of my favorite Greek/Mediterranean ingredients: sliced olives, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers…
…as well as spinach, tomatoes, and green onions.
Now, this recipe was not only about being quick and easy, but also about being cost-efficient. I purchased the large can of artichoke hearts, as they were cheaper, despite knowing I would only need half. The same goes with the roasted red peppers, which I had originally purchased to make hummus. Since I knew I could re-bottle the artichokes, and would be using the rest of the peppers either in that hummus or on salads throughout the week, it made a LOT more sense to buy the larger jar.

My thought process was similar for the spinach. I had the bagged baby spinach in my basket, but then realized that buying the whole bunch of spinach was half the cost, and I could either steam, saute, or eat the remaining spinach in salad. Easy, economical, choice there!

Also, although the recipe called for plain hummus, I conveniently had 1/2 of this large tub (bought on sale last weekend) of hummus in my fridge.
What’s a little extra flavor? I say, use your favorite hummus, whatever that may be!

Layer #1: Hummus! (8 oz.)
Layer #2–Chopped spinach! (1 cup)
Layer #3–Chopped roasted red peppers! (1/2 cup)
Layer #4–Coarsely chopped artichoke hearts! (I used 1/2 cup of some that were packed in water, but you can use a 6 oz. jar of marinated ones if you would like.)
And it was at this moment that I started to feel like Lily in How I Met Your Mother, when she goes to visit Marshall’s family for Thanksgiving and learns to make their layered potato salad that includes everything from mayo to potato chips to gummy bears. [As seen on the left in the picture below.]
While I did NOT turn into an Eriksen and start adding anything too bizarre to this dip (Dark chocolate chips? Chia seeds? Oatmeal?), I did realize I could go one better, and turn this nine-layer loveliness into a TEN-layer feast for the gods! What would my extra layer be?
Baba Ghanoush! (From a can…hooray!) Find any prepared baba ghanoush and dollop about 1/2 a cup onto the dip.
Then spread it around evenly.
Follow that with 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt. I used non-fat, but use whatever you’d like.
After that, move to Layers #7 & #8–Sliced olives (1 small, 2.25 oz. can) and green onions (half a bunch, or about 4, including whites and some of the green part)!
Layer #9–Tomatoes! (I used 3/4 cup of chopped, fresh super cherry tomatoes…but I did consider using sun-dried ones, which I think would be YUM-tastic and might try another time…either in lieu of the fresh, or in addition to—eleven layers? Mama Eriksen would be so proud. Still not adding gummy bears though…)
Layer #10–Crumbled feta! (About 1/4 cup, but add more if you would like! Or less…but why would you want less?)
I did then sprinkle some dried oregano over everything, which I guess then makes this an eleven-layer dip, and also made it taste slightly Italian, but oregano is used a lot in Greek cooking, so I stand by that choice.

Seriously, this is so good. Please make it.

Now.

8 oz. prepared hummus, any variety
1 cup chopped spinach leaves
1/2 cup coarsely chopped roasted red peppers
1/2 cup coarsely chopped artichoke hearts
1/2 cup prepared baba ghanoush
1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
1 can (2.25 oz. sliced black olives)
1/4 cup sliced green onions (1/2 a bunch, or 4 stalks)
3/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup crumbled feta
Dried oregano, optional

1. Spread hummus into the bottom of an 8″ x 8″ dish.
2. Top with spinach; slightly press spinach into hummus.
3. Arrange roasted red peppers and artichoke hearts over spinach.
4. Dollop baba ghanoush on top; spread into an even layer.
5. Repeat similar process with Greek yogurt.
6. Sprinkle olives and green onions over yogurt.
7. Repeat with tomatoes and feta cheese.
8. Sprinkle dried oregano on top, if desired.
9. Cover and chill until ready to serve!

Serve dip with sliced cucumbers and pita bread or chips (store bought, or make your own!).

Note: Drain all ingredients well to avoid water settling on top of the dip. No worries if this happens though, as it will still taste good, and you can just drain it off if necessary.

Another Note: Feel free to add or subtract layers as you wish. While I would recommend sun-dried tomatoes, I would not suggest adding gummy bears.