Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Spring Vegetable Goat Cheese Dip


I wax poetic about this every year around this time, but gosh, I love spring.  There's a certain feeling of hope and renewal in the air, and a positive, excited energy all around.  The weather is gorgeous, everything blooms and blossoms... it really is the best time of the year.  Along with spring being my favorite season, Easter is probably my favorite holiday.  Both from the religious and cultural points of view, I love all that it stands for and symbolizes.  And from a totally shallow standpoint, I love the clothes. ;)  Seriously, I'm dying over my kids' Easter outfits this year!

There are a million and one things I love about spring, and I won't bore you with the list.  Instead, I'll hone in on the produce.  Don't get me wrong, summer produce is pretty much incomparable, but spring produce is so special in its own right.  It's the first green we've seen in months.  It's bright and fresh and sweet.  And I love it all.


So naturally, in order to elevate the veggie love, what did I do?  I mixed those beautiful green spring vegetables with a bunch of goat cheese and served it with bread.  Naturally.  Adding bread and goat cheese to anything basically makes it a winner in my book.

Let me run down the list of gorgeous ingredients in this dip:  asparagus, peas, artichokes, leeks, a whole mess of herbs, mozzarella, and goat cheese.  I mean, come on.  What's not to love there?  This is basically a spin on spinach-artichoke dip, so you still have that familiar cheesy flavor and texture, but it's just gussied up with some extra veggies and goat cheese.


If you're still finalizing your Easter menu, definitely add this as an appetizer.  Everyone will stand around eating it until its gone, and by then dinner will be ready and on the table!

Spring veggie and goat cheese dip.  Do it.



Spring Vegetable Goat Cheese Dip
adapted from Bon Appetit, April 2012
serves 4-6

  • 1 cup 3/4-inch pieces asparagus, spears reserved (so only the stalks)
  • 2 Tbs unsalted butter
  • 2 medium leeks
  • 2 Tbs all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • 1-2 Tbs dry white wine
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
  • 2 Tbs chopped fresh chives
  • 2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 Tbs chopped fresh mint
  • 2 Tbs chopped fresh basil
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 Tbs lemon juice
  • 4 oz crumbled goat cheese, divided
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and lightly grease a 4 to 5 cup baking dish.  Set aside.

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil, and add the asparagus pieces (but not the tips).  Boil for 1-2 minutes, drain, and rinse with cold water.  Set aside.

Return the now empty saucepan to the stovetop and melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the leeks and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.  Cook, stirring often, until the leeks are soft, about 10 minutes.  

Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes.  Slowly whisk in the milk, and bring to a simmer, continuing to whisk frequently.  Cook until the mixture is slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes, and remove from heat.  

Stir in the mozzarella, artichokes, peas, all the herbs, lemon zest and juice, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and 2 ounces of the goat cheese.  Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Spoon the dip into the prepared baking dish, and arrange the reserved asparagus spears over the top.  Sprinkle with the remaining 2 ounces of goat cheese, transfer to the oven, and cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until the dip is hot and bubbly and the cheese is beginning to brown.  

Allow to cool slightly before serving, and serve with toasted bread slices or crackers.


33 comments:

Josie said...

I love Spring so much too! This dip is lovely. So many delicious herbs!

Josie said...

This sounds absolutely divine!

Josie said...

I'm so in love with goat cheese in all things. Love this dip!

Josie said...

That looks so delicious!

Josie said...

Spring veg and tangy goat cheese sound just about perfect right now! Must break out the baguettes. :)

Josie said...

Spring is absolutely my favorite time of the year. I feel like I myself is going to burst into flower. What a wonderful celebratory dip your recipe is. It's has a perky confetti look to it. And goat cheese is soooooooooo tasty.

Josie said...

I've had this recipe bookmarked for AGES. I need to find a good occasion to make it...other than dinner because then I would eat THE WHOLE BATCH.

Josie said...

Oh. My. Goodness. This combines almost everything that I love about spring cooking!

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Josie said...

My brother-in-law LOVES brussel sprouts, so my sister is always looking

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Josie said...

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve the bacon grease for another use.



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Josie said...

For the most part I relegated them to a side dish for me, while I roasted a pan of broccoli for Joey. Or I waited until he wasn't home for dinner to make a brussels sprouts-centric dish for Caroline and me.

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Josie said...

Sadly, he said that it wasn't his favorite pizza ever... though he did still eat 3 pieces. And Caroline and Smith both loved it, so I'd consider that a win.

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parchment to the stone in the oven, and bake 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is browned and the toppings are cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cook 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

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I relegated them to a side dish for me, while I roasted a pan of broccoli for Joey. Or I waited until he wasn't home for dinner to make a brussels sprouts-centric dish for Caroline and me.

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Josie said...

I think many combos would be great, including blue cheese (oh how I miss you...). Or if God-forbid, you aren't a fan of brussels sprouts, I think many other veggies would work well here - broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, corn, mushrooms... whatever you have on hand and love is sure to produce a fabulous pizza.

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would work well here - broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, corn, mushrooms... whatever you have on hand and love is sure to produce a fabulous pizza.

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Sprinkle the dough with the cheddar and parmesan, leaving a thin border around the edge. Evenly distribute the brussels sprouts mixture, then top with the bacon and goat cheese.

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