Fresh Ideas
Tam’s crusty cob loaf dips are fun to share with family and friends, and they’re simple to make, too.
Discover three easy crusty cob loaf dips perfect for sharing with family and friends. Fuss-free and simple to make, you can entertain and impress with ease.
“There’s something so fun and festive about bringing a hot crusty cob loaf loaded with goodies to the table. I love how it takes everyday ingredients to another level, and it’s a great way to stretch my food budget, too, especially when I’m feeding a crowd. Plus, there’s no food waste, because basically, you’re eating the ‘bowl’! These three recipes all use readily available ingredients, but they’re just the start – how about a ‘nachos’ cob dip made with your favourite mince recipe, topped with sour cream, sliced avocado and corn chips? The only limit is what’s in your pantry and your imagination!"
- Tamara
01
Cheeseburger cob
I love how this is all my favourite cheeseburger flavours ‘rolled’ into one – sometimes I cut the bread pieces into chip shapes for an added burger vibe. The trick here is to make sure the mince mixture is nice and thick, so simmer it with the lid off, stirring occasionally to prevent it sticking to the base of the pan. I’ve also made a ‘veggie cheeseburger’ version, using chopped mushrooms instead of the beef mince. But remember, mushrooms reduce in bulk when cooked, so you’ll only need to cook them briefly before and after adding the sauces and chopped gherkins.
02
Cheesy fondue cob
This is a great take on a retro party favourite – especially if you don’t happen to have a fondue set handy! Feel free to swap out the veggies for whatever you fancy (or whatever’s in the crisper). They just need to be ‘dippable’ – zucchini and capsicum cut into batons, or just-blanched green beans, broccolini or asparagus are good options, too. I’ve also used chicken meatballs instead of the pork & veal ones. If you’re making this with kids in mind, you can simply replace the white wine with 1 cup of chicken or veggie stock.
03
Chocolate-caramel mini dessert cobs
This is the sort of dessert that you can play around and have some fun with. I sometimes mix up the marshmallows, serving a combination of pink and white ones. Bananas, cut crossways into thirds, then halved lengthways, are great for dipping, too. When removing the soft bread from the centre of the rolls, try to keep the crust border to an even 1cm width – it needs to be thick enough to hold the filling without the ‘walls’ collapsing.
