Dips are a great way to start a party or to snack on anytime. There are endless possibilities as far as dips are concerned. Roasted vegetables such as eggplant or red bell pepper make a great base. How many fresh vegetables have you experimented with? How about sweet summer corn? It’s on sale and it’s amazing this time of year. I enjoy roasting more than I need for one meal and finding fun ways to incorporate it into future meals, such as an easy cheesy corn dip.
Of course you could boil the corn or put it on the grill. Here’s how I roast corn in the oven: Leave it in the husk, rinse with water and put into preheated 425 degree oven for 45 minutes. It’s delicious with shrimp and okra for dinner. But be sure to save some corn for dip the next day!
Here I started with 3 roasted corncobs. Cutting off the kernels yielded just over 2 cups. Pulsing it in the food processor, I added 16 ounces of Greek yogurt, 4 ounces blue cheese, one chipotle pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Pureed until smooth. How long did that take? All of 2 minutes?!
This dip could serve 8 people as a starter, but I could make a meal of it myself! How about a bit of it as a topping for steak with a salad? Serve it with chips, crackers, toasted bread, shrimp or my personal favorite: celery. Who doesn’t love blue cheese with celery? Not a fan of blue cheese? Try it with feta instead. Want to sweeten things up a bit? How about adding some figs?
Ingredients for Corn Dip:
- 2+ cups of roasted corn
- 16 ounces of Greek yogurt (2 %)
- 4 ounces blue cheese
- one chipotle pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
If you make this a few hours ahead, it will give the flavors a chance to meld and will taste even better.
What else do you like to do with corn? Try serving it with red beans and rice. It’s a simple meal that can feed an army.
You can’t go wrong eating with the seasons. A visit to your local farmers market will show you what’s in abundance and at its peak in quality. At the supermarket, take note of what’s on sale as it often reflects the same. My favorite way to shop is without a list, taking note of what looks fresh and vibrant in the produce department. That’s where I spend most of my time before moving on to the rest of the perimeter of the store for fresh meats and seafood, dairy etc. Are you shopping without a list yet? Here’s the story behind how I got started with this method. Shop smart, work smarter not harder and enjoy each meal because food brings us together.
Sounds great. Thanks
Very innovative!