Crunch meets cream in this clever twist: a rich almond dip paired with thin, crisp aubergine slices and a scattering of caramelised almonds. Elegant enough for guests, easy enough for weeknight grazing.
Almond dip with aubergine crisps and caramelised almonds
Ingredients
Almond dip
- 100g whole almonds, skins on
- 75g bread, crust removed
- 1 garlic clove
- 100ml olive oil + extra for drizzling
- 260ml water
- Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Aubergine crisps
- 2 large exotic aubergines, thinly sliced with a mandoline or potato slicer
- groundnut or sunflower oil, for deep-frying
- Maldon sea salt, to sprinkle
Caramelised almonds
- 250ml (1 cup) water
- 220g brown sugar
- 155g whole almonds, skins on
Instructions
For the dip, soak all of the ingredients in a bowl for two hours and blend until smooth using a stick blender.
For the aubergine crisps, heat a deepfryer or large pot to 180°C and fry the aubergine slices, taking care not to burn them as they caramelise quickly, about 2 – 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle with sea salt.
For the caramelised almonds, heat the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Once dissolved, do not stir, and cook until golden-brown in colour, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the almonds. Quickly layer the mixture on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Once cooled, break into desired chunks. Serve with the dip and aubergine crisps.
Also See: Almond milk in 4 easy steps
Recipes and styling by Thulisa Martins
Photographs by Dylan Swart
