Saddle Up For A Dip To Remember
This is a surprisingly creamy, sweet, and subtly spicy dip that's best served atop the delightful crunch of a Ritz cracker or sliced and toasted baguette.
Combining the bold and bright red and green colors, there's no greater way to ring in the holidays!!
Time To Prepare:
Initial Prep: About 30 minutes. Marination: 8 hours or overnight. Final Prep: About 45 minutes (including time for the cream cheese to come to room temperature).
Foodie Tips:
Don't let the thought of jalapeños scare you away from trying this dish! The sweet of the cranberries and sugar coupled with the lemon juice should delight your tastebuds via the magic of maceration!
When chopping the fresh cranberries: If your crans are smaller in size cut them in half. If they are larger cut them into quarters. Use a sharp paring knife and be very careful cutting! It took me about 20 minutes to hand-cut my cranberries and the end result was well worth it - beautifully cut cranberries!
Serving tip: If you prefer to make individual-sized portions you can divide out the cream cheese into ramekins and top with the cranberry mixture.
Ingredients:
12 Ounces | Fresh, Uncooked Cranberries, Rinsed And Chopped
¼ Cup | Fresh Green Onion, Diced
1-2 | Fresh Jalapeños, Deseeded And Diced
1-2 Tablespoons | Fresh Cilantro (Optional)
1 Cup | Granulated Sugar
1 Tablespoon | Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
¼ Teaspoon | Kosher Salt
16 Ounces | Cream Cheese
To Garnish | Rosemary Or Thyme Sprig (Optional)
To Serve | Ritz Crackers Or Toasted Sliced Baguette
What To Do:
1. For best results hand-chop the cranberries in half and place in a medium-sized bowl. 2. Chop the green onion jalapeño peppers, and cilantro (if using) and add to the cranberries. 3. Add the sugar, lemon juice and salt and stir gently until everything is well combined.
4. Cover your bowl with press and seal/plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight so the flavors of the cranberry mix can mingle.
5. About 30 minutes before you are ready to assemble the dip, remove the cream cheese from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. 6. Remove the cranberry mixture and pour it into a colander sitting in your sink for about 5 minutes to let any liquid drain. Return the mixture to the bowl and place it back in the fridge. 7. Next place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and whip it about 2 minutes until it's nice and creamy. Using a spatula, line the bottom and half of the sides of a pie or quiche plate with the cream cheese. Place the prepared dish into the fridge to chill for a few minutes.
8. When ready to serve pour the cranberry mixture on top of the cream cheese-lined pie plate. Garnish with a rosemary or thyme sprig.
9. Spoon and top (or dip) your Ritz/baguette into the cranberry dip and enjoy!
Yield: 16+ servings. Refrigerate any leftovers.
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Joe Paul Reider
Home Style Austin Founder Austin Realtor® Keller Williams Realty
Email: JoePaul@KW.com Mobile: 512-222-3302 Web: JoePaulReider.KW.com