My first post of 2011! How exciting!
I think I’ll start with an appetizer. I haven’t posted many appetizers in the past. I’ve always been a bit appetizer challenged. My Hot Bean Dip is good, but new Year’s Eve, champagne, and Hot Bean Dip? I don’t think so.
This holiday season I tried three of Ina Garten’s appetizer recipes from her most recent cookbook, How Easy is That?: Savory Coeur a la Creme, Stilton and Walnut Crackers, and Chunky Blue Cheese & Yogurt Dip. One was OK, one was good, and one was very, very good. The Savory Coeur a la Creme was a bit of a bust. I took it to my Cookbook Club, and everyone liked the topping, which was purchased Major Grey Chutney, but they weren’t nearly as enthusiastic about the recipe-made Savory Coeur a la Creme under the chutney. The Stilton and Walnut Crackers were good, and perhaps post-worthy, but I will have to give them another try first. I think they might be better if I cut them a bit thinner, I’ll let you know. I fell hard for the Blue Cheese Dip though. Delicious!! It is made with Greek yogurt so it is lighter than many blue cheese dips (most of which are made with a few cups of sour cream). I don’t know why I photographed the dip next to a sliced baguette. I didn’t put the dip on bread. That would have been weird. I dipped celery sticks into it. When they were gone, I dipped cucumber slices. I finished up with the carrot sticks. I think I had a month’s worth of veggies in the three hours leading up to New Year’s Eve 2011 🙂
I could see thinning out leftover dip and using it as a salad dressing, IF I had any leftovers…
Blue Cheese Dip
- ¼ cup finely chopped shallot
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 7 ounces Greek-style yogurt (I used non-fat because I couldn’t find a whole milk version)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 4 ounces sharp blue cheese, crumbled
- 5 dashes Tabasco sauce (more or less to taste, but I found 5 to be just perfect)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons of minced chives
- Start at two hours in advance (making the night before is also acceptable).
- Place the shallot, garlic, lemon juice, yogurt, mayonnaise, blue cheese, Tabasco, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the processor twelve times, until the mixture is almost smooth but still a bit chunky.
- Add the chives and pulse two or three more times.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least two hours to allow the flavors to develop.
- Serve with raw veggies for dipping.
Thank you, Ina! And thank YOU for stopping by my kitchen today! Come by again tomorrow, I have another appetizer recipe to share!
