Favorite dips and spreads

[bananie]

Looking for your recipes of favorite dips and spreads. I love Ina Garten's pan-fried onion dip and her roasted eggplant spread (both on the food network site). Thanks!

[steinpilz]

Avocado - Yogurt Sauce:

1 avocado, pitted and skinned
1 carton plain yogurt
1 garlic clove
1 Tbs lemon juice

Blend together, it's great with most everything.

[jinet12]

That pan fried onion dip is the BEST! But....the biggest hit at parties where I have taken food, is not a recipe, but something that I buy at Whole Foods...They sell an "Adriatic fig spread", that is right in their cheese market...You buy that, some Carr's whole wheat crackers, some Gouda or Brie Cheese, and you top the crackers and cheese with this spread, and it is incredible....

[Megiac]

I love Ina's smoked salmon spread and there is a fig and olive tapenade on epicurious.com that is to die for.

[alkapal]

Fig and Walnut Tapendade with Goat Cheese

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/rec...

Is this the recipe? Gets raves there, and looks really yummy in the photo, too!

[donali]

I love to combine meaty smoked salmon (as opposed to "slimy" smoked salmon, sorry for the tech speak but I always forget which is hot smoked and which is cold smoked) and cream cheese in a food processor with horshradish, fresh dill and lemon juice. It's great spread on fresh baguette slices or piped on cucumber cups or celery boats.

[LulusMom]

I do the same with smoked trout but use a little sour cream and a little mayo in place of the cream cheese. The dill, lemon and horseradish together are really nice.

[Gail]

I can't seem to find smoked. Do you buy it "fresh" smoked or canned. My stores don't seem to stock it, yet I see it on restaurant menus.

[alkapal]

I find smoked trout at Whole Foods, near the seafood case. Comes in a plastic package with the whole (headless) trout inside.

[Gail]

Thanks alkapal. Is it frozen? If not, how long can you keep it in the fridge?

[alkapal]

No, it is in an open, upright refrigerated case. I have kept it -- don't tell Agent Foodie -- for QUITE a while. At least 3 months! (Shhhh). I keep it in the meat drawer so it is coolest. It IS smoked, after all, right? If it was good enough for natives and settlers....

See the thread about "What is the oldest thing in your fridge?" for a laugh.

[Gail]

Hey, it must be like cheese, a good scrape and it's good to go.

I'll check Whole Foods. I had the best salad at Bouchon in Yountville, Cali with smoked trout and yukon gold potatoes and other goodies. Trying to duplicate that.
Thanks again,,,

[alkapal]

Gail, let us know your recipe when you duplicate Bouchon's!!

[LulusMom]

I find it in the cold case right next to the seafood counter. It is fresh smoked and packaged in that tight plastic stuff (sorry I don't know the real name for it). It has a sell-by date on it, and usually that is within a few weeks. I've found it at both Whole Foods and the local grocery store (Harris Teeter).

[relizabeth]

the spicy spinach dip that was published in the NYtimes a few weeks ago is like crack cocaine. It is a hit at every party that I've made it for.

[funkymonkey]

that's great to know. i tore that recipe out, but haven't had a chance to try it. i find most of Melissa Clark's recipes to be pretty spot on.

[jules127]

I did a search, but couldn't find the recipe. Would you be willing to share?

[bananie]

I just did a search myself, here you go:

2 10-ounce packages frozen spinach, thawed and drained
8 ounces cream cheese (about 1 cup), softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped chipotle in adobo sauce, or more to taste
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

Dump in food processor and combine

[jules127]

Thanks!!

[funkymonkey]

one of my favorites is whipping together fresh pesto and cannelini beans with my hand blender. add a little lemon juice, salt + pepper, and serve! incredibly easy and super tasty.

funkymonkey
http://thebestbite.blogspot.com/

[alkapal]

This recipe is from a friend married to a retired Colonel, and so has years of entertaining informing her repertoire. This spread is amazing, because it is so savory and mysterious. Nobody suspects smoked oysters, but everyone is quite addicted.

The recipe below can be halved. Try it -- even if you think you don't care for smoked anything!

Smoked Oyster Cream Cheese Roll

16 ounces cream cheese
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 small onion, grated
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/8 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
2 cans smoked oysters, well drained and finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Cream together cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion, mayonnaise. Blend in oysters. Taste for salt. Shape into a log on wax paper, tightly wrapped, and chill for an hour. Then roll in chopped parsley, rewrap in plastic and chill for a few hours (or can serve immediately.)

Festive Variation: Don't add oysters into the cheese blend. Instead, spread cheese mixture on wax paper until it is about 12 x 8 inches and less than 1/2 inch thick. Chill in refrigerator about one hour. Then sprinkle finely chopped smoked oysters over this, and roll up like a roulade. Coat with parsley, following directions above.
Serve with crackers.

[4chowpups]

Okay, since no one has added it in...not nearly as "refined" as Ina's dip but everyone LOVES it...the Chicken Wing Dip-you can find it easily on here or I can get you the link!
I also made a peanut dip that I got from the hounds for a party that was delicious and easy but doesn't look too appealing!

[briaberger]

Black bean dips with garlic, onion and cumin are always flavorful and have a nice thick consistency. I also love hummus, though many don't... if you're a fan, it's always nice to add something like roasted red pepper, olives, capers, or some serious spices, like turmeric or cumin.

[dklipscomb]

On a different direction--dip for fruit. 8 oz softened cream cheese and 8 oz of marshmellow creme mix together. Even though I told all how easy-I have to bring to every gathering with a platter of fresh fruit.

[Olallieberry]

I've lately become addicted to the black olive and goat cheese dip from Whole Foods, I imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to replicate; Food Network Canada has a recipe for an olive feta dip that's probably pretty similar. It's delicious on crusty bread or pita chips.

[Val]

A co-worker brought this to a holiday buffet and then again to a summer barbeque by popular demand...it's very very delicious from Pampered Chef and I'll paraphrase the recipe. It's called a tapenade but this was so delectable on pita chips:

Artichoke & Sun Dried Tomato Tapenade

1 jar (6 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts
6 sundried tomatoes packed in oil (you could easily use the dry kind)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoon toasted pine nuts
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Dash of salt
*Makes 12 servings*

Drain artichoke hearts and sun-dried tomatoes. PLace artichokes, tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts and parsley on chopping board and finely chop with sharp knife. You could easily chop it all in a food processer also. Serve with pita chips or flatbread.