Roasted Garlic Whipped Feta
Summertime, and livin' is easy...
I'm always on the lookout for simple, make-ahead recipes suitable for al fresco dinning during the warm months of summer. This versatile dip/spread really fits the bill. Just whiz a few ingredients in the food processor and it's ready. Serve it as a dip with pita and veggies, or smeared on a slice of grilled rustic bread topped with roasted cherry tomatoes for a fantastic backyard lunch.
A big thanks to the lovely Nicholetta for posting her delicious recipe for Whipped Feta with Dill, Shallots and Chives on Pepper and Paint last spring. I tried it immediately, and loved it. As often happens when I make a recipe a lot, it evolves. I tend to experiment with different ingredients and flavour combinations to see what works. Keeping to the same basic proportions as Nicholetta's dip, I tried a variation using mellow roasted garlic in place of the shallots and dill, and the results were kind of addictive.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups crumbled feta
- 1 cup softened cream cheese
- 1 whole bulb of garlic - roasted*
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed chilies
Just throw everything into the food processor fitted with the steel blade, and pulse until smooth. Ready to serve!
*To roast garlic:
- Peel off the outermost papery layers of the garlic
- slice off the top of the bulb
- Drizzle with olive oil.
- Wrap loosely in foil.
- Bake in a preheated 325F for 20 minutes, until outer cloves are golden..
- Once cooled, squeeze the bulb to remove the softened cloves from the skin
I usually roast 4 or 5 bulbs of garlic at a time. Roasted garlic will keep in the fridge for a week or so, and it's a useful ingredient to have on hand for sauces, dressings, and dips like this one.
