Super Bowl Party: 7-Layer Mediterranean Dip

I’m late to the party and it has a lot to do with the Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year) and Super Bowl falling on the same weekend. Considering we were just in Shanghai, it seemed more pertinent (and interesting) especially since hub’s team, the New England Patriots, put up a good fight but eventually lost the battle in the playoffs. But we’ll be watching the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks take the frozen tundra, voting for our favorite crazy commercial, and seeing how Bruno Mars hair act fares in the freezing temps, which optimists are saying will rise to 40°F at game time, not breaking the record Super Bowl low of 39º, we’ll see…

Always highly anticipated, NY/NJ Super Bowl XLVII is drawing even more media attention. Superlative branding by host states New York and New Jersey – “it’s so historic, it takes two states to host it” and “the first cold weather outdoor Super Bowl”, caused a stir since the venue was first announced in 2010; and the monumental snow storms resulting from the “Polar Vortex” which put most of the nation in a deep freeze for all of January as only added to the hype.

You know the old favorite Mexican 7-Layer Dip? I only like them if they’re homemade, but so often they’re not, and I think I’ve scooped into enough of them at parties and pot lucks to last me a few more years. But you can’t deny their popularity and, since I’m known as the one who can be relied upon to bring something deliciously healthy to the party, I gave the ubiquitous 7-Layer dip a Mediterranean twist. Beginning with spicy homemade hummus, then a layer of chopped fresh cucumbers and tomatoes and tart goat cheese crumbles, the sunny flavors and vibrant colors of this dip were a hit with pita chips on New Years Eve and guaranteed to earn you extra points at home or any Super Bowl party.

7-Layer Mediterranean Dip

 

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Prep time

35 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

The ubiquitous 7-Layer Dip gets a Mediterranean twist. Beginning with spicy homemade hummus, then a layer of chopped fresh cucumber, tomatoes, olives and tart goat cheese crumbles, this dip is sure to earn you extra points!

Serves: 8-10 servings

Ingredients

Salad

• 4 Persian cucumbers, seeded and diced small
• 4 tomatoes, seeded and diced small
• ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

5-Minute Spicy Hummus

• recipe here
• ¾ cup labneh (Greek yogurt cheese) or Greek yogurt, or a combination of the two
• ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced
• 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley or basil, roughly chopped

Instructions

1. To make salad layer, combine diced cucumbers, tomatoes,and parsley in a small mixing bowl. Toss to combine, then transfer to a colander and allow the mixture to drain (for at least 30 minutes,stirring occasionally) while you prepare the hummus and other ingredients.
2. When the salad is fully drained, spread the 1-1/2 cups of hummus evenly into the bottom of your serving dish. Then spread the labneh or Greek yogurt over the top of the hummus. Spoon the drained salad mixture on top of the labneh/Greek yogurt.
3. Sprinkle the olives and goat cheese crumbles on top.
4. Just before serving, sprinkle on your fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley or basil. This dip is great with pita chips!

Notes

Great served with pita chips! Inspired by The Shiksa. I used my own spicy hummus recipe, substituted goat cheese for feta because it has much less sodium, eliminated the salt, substituted kalamata olives, and cut the recipe almost in half.

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