Monday, November 22, 2010

Herb Cheese Dip - Blue Monday





From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's drip and dip season here in Oregon. Rain and football seem to go hand in hand and those games are a great excuse to make a dip whose roots can be found in Lyons, France. There the dip is made with fromage blanc. Rest easy in the knowledge that cottage cheese will work nearly as well and that the herbs needed to make it can all be found in your neighborhood grocery store. It was originally intended to be used as a dip for raw vegetables, but I've found it to be a wonderful sandwich spread as well. As you scan the recipe ingredients you'll find it to be a healthy and figure friendly addition to your snack repertoire. The recipe, developed by Patricia Wells, is easy to make, but the cheese needs to drain for a day or two before it is served, so wait time will have to be factored into your game plan. This also gives the flavors of the herbs an opportunity to permeate the cheese. If you have a particularly macho crew for game day, you might want to omit the vegetables and serve the dip as a spread on rounds of rye bread that are topped with salami or other deli meats. It would also be wonderful as a spread on thick slices of crusty peasant bread. The dip can be made several days in advance of serving and you probably won't have leftovers to worry about. Here's the recipe.

Herb Cheese Dip
...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Patricia Wells

Ingredients:

2 cups full-fat or low-fat cottage cheese
2 shallots, peeled and minced
1 plump, fresh garlic clove, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons fresh chives, snipped with a scissors
3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, snipped with a scissors
3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, snipped with a scissors
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, carefully stemmed
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon dry white wine
1 teaspoon best-quality sherry wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Mixed fresh herbs, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
1) Place cottage cheese in bowl of a food processor and pulse once, just long enough to break up cheese curds. Add shallots, garlic, chives, tarragon, parsley, and thyme, and process very briefly, pulsing only to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pulse once again to distribute the seasonings.
2) Transfer mixture to a cheesecloth-lined large sieve set over a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 48 hours.
3) Remove cheese from refrigerator. Discard any liquid that has drained from the sieve. Transfer cheese to bowl of a food processor. Add wine, vinegar, and oil, and pulse to blend. Taste for seasoning. Transfer to a small bowl. Serve at room temperature. Yield: 2 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Blue Cheese and Bacon Dip - Easy Appetizers
Smoked Salmon Cheese Spread - Drick's Rambling Cafe
Hummus - Anja's Food 4 Thought
Taramosalata - Kalofagas
Warm Black Bean Dip - One Perfect Bite
Blue Cheese Dip - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

46 comments :

Sanjeeta kk said...

Love the cheesy dip, Mary. Herbs add to health and more flavors in this lovely dip.

SmilingSally said...

Sounds easy enough for even me to make. Thanks.

Happy Blue Monday, Mary.

Banana Wonder said...

I love how this is made with cottage cheese! Yum! Drip and dry all the way.

Diane said...

Will try this next time I am entertaining it sounds very yummy. Have a good day. Diane

♥Sugar♥Plum♥Fairy♥ said...

U come uo with the perfect bites and more than do ur name more than proud , thats the first thing that comes to my mind when i hop here!!
This dip is gorgeous!!
Also so need ur help for some votes if u can , i have enterd my cookie ,
the snicker doodle and badly need votes !!

Pleaseee do vote for me on this page ,
http://www.goodlifeeats.com/2010/11/vanilla-salted-caramel-hot-chocolate.html , im number 21 , blushin vanilla snicker doodles!!

Gypsea Nurse said...

now this is pure heaven! Thanks for the recipe..and i will thank you later for my fatter thighs! hehehe!
Happy Blue!
Smiles~
Cricket

Priya Suresh said...

Feel like dipping some toasted bread slices and enjoy the cheese dip..yumm!

Peter M said...

I adore dishes that allow me to swoop in with some good crusty bread. Thanks for the link at the bottom of the post as well!

Big Dude said...

That sounds too good especially since cottage cheese is a big favorite - eat some almost every day and have found Breakstone to be closest to the old time homemade kind, which wsa dryer then most now offered in the store. So perhaps less draining required and more curds remaining.

Joanne said...

You know...I bet this would make the perfect sandwich spread to go along with some leftover turkey!

Kim said...

I like this king of dip! I like all the herbs and the fromage blanc. Thank you:)

Flavia Galasso said...

I love cheese... and this recipe seems to be easy and perfect!!!Have a nice Monday, hugs, Flavia

From the Kitchen said...

I do like dips and am always trying to make them healthier. This one has just been printed out. I think the idea of using it as a sandwich spread is excellent.

Best,
Bonnie

Unknown said...

I love dips! Normally that statement would sound strange in a conversation :) This looks and sounds wonderful!!

Barbara said...

Absolutely, Mary. Football and dips seem to go together. Love the fresh herbs in yours....and why not serve both veggies and bread? Then we'll all be happy!

Cathy said...

It's so much easier to eat my fresh veggies when I have something wonderful to them into. Carrot and celery stick are favorite munchies and would be even better with this lovely herb dip.

Happy Thanksgiving, Mary.

aipi said...

That is a super delicious dip..love to have some chips right away :)


US Masala

Claudia said...

I'm missing my herb garden right about now. Although I do have tons of fresh herbs for the holiday. I actually can get fromage blac here and love using it. The simplicty of it is helpful this time of year so this is definitely something I can play with. We just had an ice storm - I prefer the drip!

Katerina said...

That would go great with fresh veggies or chips or Italian crostinis.

PeggyR said...

Now that sounds really good!

Auntie E said...

sounds like a prefect appetizer for thanksgiving day.
Getting ready for the Holidays

LV said...

Another great dish for any occasion. Anything you feature sounds good to me. No doubt you and family will have a wonderful table filled with the best cooking ever. Blessing to all of you.

Chubskulit Rose said...

Sumptuous!

My Blue Monday

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

YUMO! This would be delicious! ♥

StephenC said...

Thank you for solving a dilemma. I have 2 dip recipes (a crab and a tuna) I intend to make for lunch Thursday (we'll eat the turkey in the evening). I wanted a third and you've reminded me how much I love cottage cheese. I don't for the life of me know why I don't eat it more often. Grazie, grazie.

Jeannie said...

Sounds like something that's too good to pass up on!

gengen said...

Looks yummy...happy blue Monday.

Sutapa said...

Bread toast and some veggies and this awesome cheesy dip.....Nothing could be more delicious Mary!

RachelD said...

I've never dripped a cheese AFTER adding the condiments and herbs.
Yummm.

Happy Blue Monday!!

rachel

Sushma Mallya said...

sounds good,would love to taste it..

Kim, USA said...

This looks very good. Thanks for sharing!
Blue Moon

Donnie said...

That looks yummy. I have most of the ingredients already. Have a great Thanksgiving.

Ginny Hartzler said...

This is a real interesting recipe, I've never seen one even remotly like it.

Vittle me this... said...

yummm!

Juliana said...

Mary, your cheese dip sure look SO SO tasty...I felt almost dipping my finger into it.

Kelly said...

How can I not love a rich cheese dip. I make fromage blanc a fair bit at home since I enjoy home cheesemaking. I was thinking it would be fun to make this dip using that in place of the cottage cheese. Yum!

Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe said...

Happy Blue Monday.
This looks perfect!

My Little Space said...

I love the cheesy dip! Sounds marvellous! I'm sure you're now busy preparing the menu for the coming festive celebration. Hope you're going to have a fabulous thanksgiving with your family, Mary. Enjoy!
Blessings, Kristy

pam said...

I'm going to add this to my holiday dip line up!

Mags @ the Other Side of 50 said...

I'm collecting dip recipes like a mad woman, just so I can have something different this year for the holidays. This sounds delicious!

Tasha said...

As dip lover, I appreciate all of the awesome dip recipe you share on your blog. This one sounds especially wonderful and I love how its made with cottage cheese!

Rhonda said...

Dip and cheese in the same title, I'm in!

Alessandra said...

I love fromage blanc, especially when mixed with fresh herbs, the perfect dip... I just wouldn't e able to stop!!!

ciao
Alessandra

Kaye Swain - SandwichINK for the Sandwich Generation said...

Ooooh, this sounds so yummy. And I love that it's so healthy. I'm always looking for easy to prepare and healthier food options to help me as I stay busy with fun activities for grandparents and grandchildren - and what fun to use my digital camera to savor all those sweet moments with them. :) Thank you for sharing this recipe.

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Very flavourful dip Mary. Have a fantastic Thanksgiving!!!

Jen_from_NJ said...

I was searching out a healthy and flavorful dip and this looks just perfect!

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