Make This: Fennel Dip

(And package the Fennel Oil it produces!)

I love to host, but I’m not a huge appetizer guy. Sure, a little snack over cocktails is great. But these little bites—intended to whet the appetite—tend to turn into more produced dishes at many homes (a meat and cheese board that could feed a football team), and they ruin the main event. Perhaps I can’t control myself, so I need to put a lighter option out so I don’t self-sabotage.

Tarrali is a go-to. Nuts (ideally dressed up and roasted) are another great option. And I love a simple pewter plate with a hunk of Jake’s Gouda, a delightful cheese I first tasted at Stissing House in Upstate New York. (If you haven’t had it - they ship. It is delightful.)

If you’re looking for a simple, winning snack that won’t bust your gut, then my friend, I have one for you. This is Fennel Dip - a versatile yogurt-based condiment to keep on hand this year. It’s ideal with crudité, as we serve it at The Bell in New Orleans. It tastes like an Onion Dip, but a version that moved to Paris to study abroad and came home with a new wardrobe and an art-house filmmaker boyfriend.

The recipe was developed by my dear friend (and business partner) Ari Kolender, who also oversees great Los Angeles restaurants like Found Oyster and Queen St. We worked side-by-side in his home kitchen in LA, creating the framework for The Bell. When we tasted this dip, we knew we had a winner.

It’s a cinch to make and produces a nicely flavored oil (more on that great by-product later). If you have a mandolin—and you should—you’re looking at a few minutes of active prep time. The real work happens on the stovetop while you’re off reading a book or putting together your veggies for dipping.

You could easily scale this recipe up for a larger batch, ensuring you’ll have leftovers through the following days.