I hope you all had lovely holidays and that your new year has started off swimmingly!
This first full weekend of 2013 finds me back in my kitchen (yay!) with the almost full use of both hands. The bandage is off of my injured right hand and it is getting back to normal. One more week of treating it with kid gloves, so to speak, and I think all will be well. Meanwhile, I’m able to do some slow chopping and other basic cooking necessities as long as I don’t twist or put too much pressure on it. Thanks for all your wonderfully kind comments and inquiries. Believe me, I will go out of my way to try to NOT do this again.
Today I want to revisit and share a relatively easy and very yummy dip recipe from my “repertoire.” For those of you who are football fans, this is a great one to make for the upcoming American football and Super Bowl game parties, or down the road a way for rugby, soccer or baseball gatherings. It’s always been a hit for pot-lucks, Formula One racing parties and as a part of any appetizer spread. It’s definitely a rift on an old-fashioned traditional dry soup-based dip that we’ve all known in this country (and secretly loved), but transcends the original in every way. Yes, we’re talking about the ultimate chip and veggie dip: Caramelized Shallot and Blue Cheese Dip, and I’m making it to take to a little cocktail and nosh event this evening.
For those of you who follow this blog closely, you’ll remember a mention of this dip from my two party posts last summer, Party On! and Encore (More party recipes), and those posts get another mention now because they have a lot of other great ideas for appetizers of various kinds to keep in mind for these seasonal bowl game parties. This fabulous dip is from a Bon Appétit recipe, and it’s one that never disappoints or gets old. I’ve adapted it ever so slightly from the original, adding more shallots and blue cheese (can you ever have too much, I ask ya?) for extra flavor, used a lighter mayo and some added seasonings. Here’s my version and you can see the original recipe at Epicurious if your click on the dip name above. Have a great weekend!
Warning: Do not make this unless you have someone to share it with. It is addictive.
Caramelized Shallot and Blue Cheese Dip (adapted from Bon Appétit)
Makes 2 generous cups
Start this in time to allow the flavors to blend for a couple of hours before serving.
2 cups thinly sliced shallots (about 7 ounces)
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
3/4 cup good quality mayonnaise (you can use light or canola mayonnaise)
3/4 cup sour cream (you can use light but do not use non-fat)
5 oz. Maytag Blue Cheese, or other crumbling variety of blue cheese, allowed to come to room temperature
Salt and some freshly ground black pepper to taste (remember, the cheese adds a little salty component, too)
*If you like some spice you can use a tiny pinch of cayenne instead of, or in addition to, the black pepper
Heat the olive oil in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are a deep golden brown in color and caramelized, about 15-20 minutes…do not burn. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise and the sour cream until well blended. Add the blue cheese and mash it into the mayo mixture with the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula until it is well blended. Add the caramelized shallots and mix well. Add the salt and pepper to taste or the cayenne if using. Remember, the flavors will build. Cover and place in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight. Taste and season again if needed. Serve with veggies and/or chips.
Ha, ha – love the confession! This looks really good and I’d be happy to dip all those vegetables into it but pass the chips too! xx
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As good as it is on veggies…and that’s REALLY good, it’s even better with chips! 😉
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I now follow you on Twitter. Can’t believe I didn’t already. Anyway, this looks awesome and reminds me of a guilty pleasure from the wife’s childhood — onion dip. Trust me this is way, way better!
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Hi Greg, thanks for the Twitter follow. I’m still better at FB and email, but am coming around to Twitter….so need to follow you there, too! Yes the dry soup-based dip that I alluded to above is the infamous “French Onion Dip” a la Lipton, that some of us grew up with. And yes, this really is way, way better, LOL!
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I will have to remember this for future party food, or even my book group – we do snacks!!
Love the photo of all the vegies lined up
good to hear you are on the mend x
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Hi Claire! This would be great for a book group event, I think. You need a group to eat it so you won’t eat it all yourself…or that’s the case with me. 😉 I am glad to have the hand more functional and mending, thanks for your good thoughts. I think I tore a tendon so it is slow…but sure.
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This is a dip I will be making in the future, has blue cheese in it, so got to be excellent.
Glad you are back in the saddle.
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Blue cheese does make everything better, doesn’t it? It feels great to be back in the kitchen…even going slowly, thanks Norma. 🙂
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One of the big box stores sells a tub of crumbled bleu cheese and I always debate purchasing one. How much bleu cheese can one person use? Well, with this recipe, quite a bit more than I’d previously thought. And no matter how many chips I dip, a few celery stalks or broccoli fleurets will cancel them out. Throw in a couple carrot sticks and I can eat the entire bag of chips, guilt-free. Super Bowl Sunday is looking better and better — not to mention healthier, too. 🙂
Thanks, Betsy!
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Your philosophy about eating the veggies so you can eat the chips sounds great to me, John! I actually had some of the dip and veggies left from last night and plan to try adding a little milk to the dip to make salad dressing and use the leftover veggies for the salad! Of course, there were no chips left…always the way. This would definitely be a perfect nosh for Super Bowl Sunday. 🙂
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Great looking dip for tomorrow’s playoff games!
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Thanks, yummy! Enjoy the games. 🙂
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This sounds delicious. Now if only we were having a party! Glad your hand is getting better.
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Hi Barbara, and I hope you’re feeling much better after your fall. The hand is much better, but I think I pulled or tore a tendon, so it still has a way to go. Working with two hands again is great, though!
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I am so glad your hand is on recovery! I think this dip would be awesome on top of baked potatoes. Don’t you think? That would be one rocking baked potato! Take care, BAM
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Ooooh, that’s a great idea BAM! I have some dip leftover that I’m going to thin with milk to make dressing for a salad. I’m beginning to see lots of uses for this dip! Yes, I’m so glad the hand is recovering, too. It’s still a bit stiff and just one spot is a little tender and swollen still, but I think I might have torn a tendon, so it will need as long as it needs to recover. I’m just happy to be able to use it again. 🙂
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Perfect for the Super Bowl with veggies and chips, it should keep everyone happy.
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Yes, you can’t feel too bad about eating it if you have a healthy choice, right? 🙂 Thanks, Karen, and have a great day!
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I love this dip. I remember dips like this growing up and I don’t care if it’s retro – it’s mine! So glad you’re back in the saddle-ish. 🙂
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I’m with you, Maureen, I think retro is great…especially if you can update it a bit to make it healthier and/or taste better! Thanks for your good wishes. I’m glad to be able to do some things in the kitchen again. 🙂
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So nice to see you are back in the kitchen!! This is a great dip for football games or any type of party! I made this a long time ago and completely forgot about it! Thanks for sharing; I will definitely be making this for one of the upcoming games!!
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Thank you, Linda! I can’t even remember when I saw this dip first…know it was when one had to tear recipes out of magazines because they weren’t online then. 😉 It’s been a fave that can be tweaked easily. And definitely a hit at parties!
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I love dips and would probably have to make it when I was sure there would be no one around to have to share it with!
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That could be quite dangerous, LOL! I’m converting some leftover into salad dressing…or plan to attempt it…so I can feel good about not wasting it, don’t you know?
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I love the confession 🙂 I am with John on this one..all these veges cancel out the chips so it is a win win situation
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My thoughts exactly! If you have enough veggies they must balance out those chips, right?
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One of my all time flavour combos, Betsy, thanks for the reminder. I would love to make it again for the Christmas re-do on Sunday but sadly my brother is allergic to blue cheese (hideous, isn’t it?) so it would not be nice if I made it. But I will remember to book mark it. I can imagine how amazing it tastes with the caramelized onions.
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Oh, that is so sad to be allergic to blue cheese! Of course you could use multiple onions caramelized in addition to the shallots and just make it a super onion dip. 🙂
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Everything about this dip says “I’m your best friend.” I love blue cheese and carmelized onions, so I could really spend a lot of time with this dip. I could see making this alongside a big mess of wings as well. Wing night here I come!!! Hope the hand continues to be on the mend!
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Hi Barb, and thanks for the good thoughts on the hand! I’m with you, this dip would be great with wings. In fact, it’s great with everything and hard to stop eating…even when you want to! 🙂 Hope all is well with you and yours.
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i am quite literally obsessed with blue cheese, so i will 100% be making this. seriously, it sounds divine! x
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If you love blue cheese, you’ll love this, that’s a fact. Unless perhaps you don’t like onions, of course! 😉 Love your name, Scrambled Megs and must come and visit you. Thanks for stopping by and for your comment!
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Oh snap (can I say that?) Betsy! I think you already knew that this dip was right up my alley. Definitely on the to-make list for the football games!
Happy New Year!
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I did indeed think of you when I was posting this dip, Jed! It’s perfect for sporting events, or any event in my book! Happy New Year to you, too. 🙂
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I can certainly believe that this dip is addicting! I looks lovely!
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Thank you! It is probably my favorite dip ever, which is why I can only make it to take somewhere, otherwise I will eat way too much of it! 😉
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Off to raid the fridge to see if I can recreate something similar without going anywhere…I’m hungry!
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Even without the blue cheese and with plain onions caramelized, this would be good. I always have a few onions on hand! Hope you enjoy…thanks, Brydie!
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