Читать книгу Bobbie's Organic Planet - Bobbie Williamson - Страница 15

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sour cream or Greek-style yogurt (whole milk)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup spring onions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon finely chopped, fresh, flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sprigs of fresh thyme for garnish

Edible flowers for garnish (optional)

Place cream cheese, sour cream or yogurt, garlic, and spring onions in the bowl of your food processor. Pulse 10 to 12 times, until just blended. Add fresh herbs, sea salt, and pepper and pour into a 4-cup-capacity serving dish. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve at room temperature with organic veggies, toasted whole wheat pita chips, or toasted rye bread to make for a superb snack and dip.

If desired, add sprigs of fresh thyme or organic edible flowers on top of the dip to create an aesthetic appeal.

Owning a sailboat at one point in my life was quite an experience. To be repeated? Never! On weekends, we would spend our time on the Red Sea and sail to one of the hundreds of spectacular coral reefs, sometimes 10 to 15 miles out. There would always be schools of dolphins following us and flying through the air, which would make my girls scream with delight. Actually, me too! The water is the color of turquoise and also very warm, which makes for superb scuba diving. The myriad of fish and sea life was like something I have never seen since, and I have such fond memories of those balmy days.

We always had these homemade pita chips on hand for snacks and for those who suffered from seasickness—they just seemed to be a diet staple for seafarers. And we actually did sail across the Red Sea to Sudan on a friend’s rather large yacht, to dive with hammerhead sharks in a Jacques Cousteau reserve. On the way over, we ran into one of the scariest storms, making even the captain and crew ill. Once out of the storm, a very battered and sorry-looking group we were. The only thing any of us could stomach was these life-savers!

Za’atar is the star in this recipe. It is an Arabic term referring to any various local herbs of the mint family, including marjoram, oregano, and thyme. I love to sprinkle it on hummus or serve it with olive oil as a superb dip. Za’atar is frequently added to white cheeses, such as haloumi, which is another Middle Eastern delight, and grilled or served chilled. It is also used to spice meats and vegetables. Actually, once you start eating this combination of herbs, you will find a zillion different ways to use it. It can be found in Middle Eastern shops, or ordered from mail-order Web sites. But it is also very simple to make your own (see Herbs and Edible Flowers, page__).

Always buy whole wheat pita bread, as it is nutritionally preferable to the white variety. Also, the flavor of whole wheat is so much better!