CSA cooking: artichoke-leek dip

basket inventory: kale, lettuce varieties, spring onions, leeks, mandarins, oranges, limes, baby beets, sprouts, arugula, rosemary, lemon, macadamia nuts (hells-to-the-yes!)

(of course in La Chamba pottery-available you know where!)

Spinach-artichoke dip: been there, done that...I think we all have at one point or another over the past 15 years. In wanting to do something different with leeks this week, I decided to make a play on this uber-yummy dip that is perfect for parties, brunch or in our case us and the neighbors watching The Real Housewives of Atlanta (Nene is getting a little cray-cray isn't she??)

WAY YUMMY ARTICHOKE-LEEK DIP

• 3 large leeks, white and light green parts sliced (i added spring onions too b/c they were in the basket this week)
• a few pats of butter or olive oil
• 1-2 packages of light cream cheese (do 2 packages if making it for a larger group), softened
• 1 small package of goat cheese, softened
• 1/4 c milk (I used almond milk)
• juice of 1/2 a lemon (opt)
• 1 can of art hearts in water (not oil!)
• parmesan cheese (to top the dip)
• a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce (opt)
• salt and pepper

 

In a food processor,  combine the soft cheeses adding milk to help with the mixing and lemon juice (opt), add a few spoonfuls of the soft leaks, hot sauce, salt and pepper and pulse.

Drain the hearts and chop. Add to the pan with the leaks, mix and then add the soft cheese mix and combine well (don't you just hate a bite of all one flavor?). Adjust hot sauce, salt and pepper flavors and add to an oven-proof dish (I did a little spray of oil, just in case) and top with parm. Put in the oven for 20 minutes or until the top is browned a little.