TasteFood

You probably know hummus, the likable, dependable and very beige Middle Eastern chickpea and tahini dip. But if you are looking for something a little extra, a dip with pizzazz and flair, then you should try a different kind of hummus.

Beet hummus transcends all vegetable dips. It's a guaranteed up-stager on the party table, flamboyantly fuchsia in color, with FIESTA written all over it. And while its name is rather frumpy, it makes up for any nomenclatural dowdiness with a captivating vibrancy and subtle sweetness tinged with citrus and spice. It's healthy to boot, which is not always a sure thing during the holiday season.

In this recipe, I match the powerful visuals with bold flavors and spike the hummus with Sriracha and lime, which stand up well to the earthy backdrop of the beets, and serve it with a kaleidoscope of crudites for dipping, such as carrots, watermelon radishes and cucumber wedges.

Eating your daily dose of veggies never tasted this good.

Beet Hummus

Active time: 15 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes, plus beet roasting time

Yield: makes about 2 cups

2 to 3 medium red beets, about 12 ounces, roasted until tender, skin removed

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (or half lemon/half lime)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish

1/4 cup tahini

2 teaspoons Sriracha

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Lemon zest and chopped mint for garnishes

Assorted wedges of pita bread and crudites for dipping

Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process to blend. Add more oil to your desired consistency (it should not be soupy) and taste for seasoning.

Transfer to a bowl and garnish with finely grated lemon zest, chopped mint and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve with wedges of pita bread and assorted crudites.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Bowls of nourishing soups and stews are a perfect timeout during the busy (and indulgent) holiday season. Brimming with seasonal vegetables and hearty grains, they're a great way to put some of that turkey stock to use and cook any wayward vegetables that escaped the turkey dinner.

This soup takes inspiration from minestrone, with a tomato-based stock that includes a wedge of cheese. Cheese? Yes, a chunk of Italian cheese is a great trick for soup stocks and a good use of the ends of your hunk of parmesan or Pecorino Romano that's buried in the fridge. Simply add it to the stock while it simmers, and the cheese will break down and infuse its essence into the broth, slightly thickening the soup and adding essential cheesy-umami flavor.

My take on this soup adds sweet and nutty butternut squash, which balances the tomato-acidity of the broth; hearty farro gives a vegetarian infusion of protein and heft, and nutrient-rich kale dutifully wilts and softens in the hot broth. All told, this soup is a perfect timeout that allows you to pace yourself in the days ahead, leading up to the next holiday bash.

Farro, Kale and Butternut Squash Soup

Active time: 45 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup semi-pearled farro or barley

6 cups chicken stock, plus additional stock as necessary

2 cups (1/2-inch-cubed) butternut squash

1 (15-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes with juice

1 (2-inch) chunk of rind of parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

1 bay leaf

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

2 to 3 cups coarsely chopped green kale leaves

Finely grated parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese for garnish

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium. Add the onion and saute until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the farro and stir to coat.

Add the chicken stock, squash, tomatoes, cheese chunk, bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a boil, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat, partially cover the pot, and simmer until the squash is tender and farro is cooked, about 30 minutes. (Add more stock to desired consistency if soup is too thick.) Add the salt and pepper and taste for seasoning.

Stir in the kale leaves and simmer until the kale brightens in color and wilts, about 2 minutes. Discard cheese rind and the bay leaf. Ladle the soup into bowls and pass the grated cheese for sprinkling over the soup.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

Thanksgiving dinner is not complete without cranberry sauce. And while I have nothing against the traditional sugary cranberry combination, I crave an extra depth of flavor in the standard sauce -- and so I devised this chutney. What I like about chutney is it's a combination of fruit and savory ingredients, and not timid about incorporating herbs, spices and even a kick of heat. In other words, it nails many of the flavor senses (sweet, sour, salt, bitter, heat) that, to me, yield a more satisfying mouthful.

In this chutney, dried figs add a mellow, nutty sweetness, and fresh ginger and orange add perfume and zing, all of which balance out the cranberries' natural astringency, while allowing them to remain the star of the show -- after all, we're talking Thanksgiving here.

The good news is that this chutney is not exclusively for Thanksgiving. It also makes a great condiment for other fruit-loving proteins such as pork, duck and lamb. I also like to serve it as an accompaniment on a cheese platter or dabbed on goat cheese-smeared crostini.

Cranberry Fig Chutney

Active time: 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Yield: makes about 2 cups

18 dried black mission figs, quartered

1/2 cup port wine

12 ounces cranberries, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

Juice and zest from 1/2 orange

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (2-inch) rosemary sprig

Place the figs in a small bowl and pour the wine over the figs. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Combine the cranberries and sugar in a heavy medium saucepan and heat over medium until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Add the figs and wine, the ginger, orange juice and zest, pepper, salt and the rosemary sprig. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, until the cranberries burst and the chutney has thickened, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from the heat and cool completely. Discard the rosemary sprig and serve. (The chutney may be made up to three days in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Serve at room temperature.)

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS