Alison Roman’s Labne with Sizzled Scallions and Chile

Among some of my friends, this has become known as “The Dip,” and now I literally cannot attend any social gathering or host any dinner party without someone requesting “The Dip.” When you make it, you’ll know why. It’s my very high-brow version of ranch dressing, and that’s all the intel you need. But if you’d like to know more, there is a scalliony chile oil that gets sizzled with cilantro stems (or chives) and swirled into thick, lemony labne. From there, I’m sure you can assume that the combination of tangy dairy coupled with that herby chile oil already sounds incredible, and maybe you are on your way to making this right now. If you can find green garlic (which tends to be hyper-seasonal and mostly found only at farmers’ markets), use them (or even ramps!) in place of the scallions.

Ingredients

¹⁄₃ cup olive oil
4 scallions (or green garlic), white and light green parts, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro (tender leaves and stems) or chives, plus more for garnish
Flaky sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups labne, full-fat Greek yogurt, or sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Heat the olive oil, scallions, crushed red pepper flakes, and cilantro in a small pot over medium-low heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the scallions and red pepper flakes start to visually and audibly sizzle and frizzle and turn the oil a bright fiery orange. Remove from the heat and let cool enough to taste without burning your mouth, then season with salt and pepper. 

Combine the labne and lemon juice in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Spoon into a bowl and swirl in the sizzled scallion mixture. Top with extra cilantro, if you like. 

Do ahead

Sizzled scallion oil can be made up to a week ahead, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated. Labne can be seasoned 1 week ahead, wrapped tightly, and refrigerated. Combine the two just before serving.

Excerpted from Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman. Copyright © 2019 by Alison Roman. Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.