the weather outside is delightful
Recipe: chanterelle mushroom dip
It’s that time of year again – the end of the year. And that means our Year in Photos greeting card is now live at http://jenyu.net/newyear/. So be sure to drop by and have a gander at some of our favorite photos from 2016!
wishing you all the happiest of holidays and the very best in 2017
My cookie and candy duties are DONE! As of Monday night, all but one bag have been delivered (the last one goes out in the morning). This kind of holiday activity usually involves maximum chaos for a few days before the finished treats get bagged and ready for their recipients. I have trouble working in a messy environment, so you can just imagine how entropy was taking a toll on my OCD. Oh, but it didn’t end there. Once we made our Front Range deliveries, it was time to pack up our things, scrub down the house, and rig the plants on a self-watering system for the duration of our absence. We had an eight-hour window of clear weather to get to Crested Butte before a big storm barreled through. We arrived an hour before the snow began to pummel the town for two straight glorious days!
some of the happy packages of homemade love
jeremy dives into over 2 feet of fresh powder
a lovely sight to behold – snow on the mountains
The storm moved on and left frigid temperatures in its wake. We dropped to -26.5°F last night and the daytime temperatures barely made it out of single digits. That didn’t seem to bother Neva one bit. Sun. Snow. She loves it all. Instead of a run, hike, walk, or ski, she got her beans out climbing 6-foot banks of snow (repeatedly), and jumping around in deep powder. Then she’d come home and rub her face on the rug before passing out in the sun while we hopped out on the Nordic trails.
neva could do this all day
ice crystals formed a beautiful pattern on the inside of our windows overnight
skate skiing in single digits and full on colorado sun
I called my parents over the weekend because it was their 51st wedding anniversary. I asked how they were and Mom reported that they had far too many holiday parties to attend. My parents are ever the social butterflies. I don’t know how they do it because that requires a lot of energy to be a party person. Jeremy and I prefer the more intimate gatherings with a handful of friends and sharing of good food and wine. I’m always on the lookout for recipes well-suited for entertaining – either to serve to guests or to contribute to someone else’s party. This hot chanterelle mushroom dip is the perfect party fare on a cold winter’s night when the snow squeaks underfoot outside and the fireplace is crackling inside.
black pepper, olive oil, chanterelle mushrooms, onion, cream cheese, mayonnaise, white wine, butter, thyme, garlic, salt, parmesan cheese
This recipe was test-driven in the fall after I had foraged chanterelles, but you can use pretty much any variety of fresh, edible mushroom that you like. White button mushrooms are my last choice because almost any other kind of mushroom will have better flavor. The dip does require a little bit of a time investment because it includes caramelized onions, which we all know are totally worth the forty minutes to an hour required to cook them. I sometimes buy a bag of onions and caramelize a large batch so that I can freeze portions for my future self to use without all the fuss. Caramelized onions freeze well and they are a great addition to so many dishes. Or you can easily caramelize the onions the day before and keep them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the dip.
slice the onions
sauté in butter and oil until soft
cooked for a long time (be patient) until caramelized
Next up, we sauté the mushrooms in a little butter. I like to get that browning on the edges which will leave some residue (fond) on the pan. That’s the good stuff and we’ll be sure to get all of that flavor in our dip and not leave it for the dishwasher! When the mushrooms are cooked, we infuse a little oil with the garlic and thyme on the sauté pan before adding the mushrooms, onions, and wine (or broth). The liquid will sizzle and boil, but this is your opportunity to stir the mushrooms around and basically scrub the fond on the bottom of the pan until it dissolves into the liquid. Nice, huh?
slice the mushrooms
sauté the mushrooms in butter
fry the garlic and thyme
add the mushrooms, onions, salt, pepper, and wine
hard not to eat the mushroom mixture straight up
When all of the wine (or broth) has evaporated, place half of the mushroom mixture into a food processor and pulse it. I stopped when it was finely chopped, but if you want it to be smoother, you can purée the mushrooms. Mix all of the mushrooms with the remaining ingredients and pour the dip into a baking dish. It makes about 2 cups of dip, so use an ovenproof vessel with at least a 3-cup capacity so it doesn’t bubble over while baking. Top it off with some Parmesan cheese and pop it into the oven.
finely chop half of the mushrooms
mix everything together
top the dip with some parmesan before it goes in the oven
bake to a golden brown
I like these kinds of cheesy hot dips just fine, but I don’t usually have more than a bite during a party. They’re good. They’re not my favorite. But this dip? This dip is worth throwing elbows for. I think the combination of caramelized onions and heady mushrooms is what takes it beyond other dips. It’s sweet, earthy, umami-y, creamy, cheesy, with that hint of garlic. It’s decadent, so don’t eat it every day! But serve this at a party and you will basically be the winner.
serve hot or warm
excellent with bread, crostini, or crackers
the one dip to rule them all
Chanterelle Mushroom Dip
[print recipe]
modified from this recipe
2 tbsps vegetable oil
2 tbsps unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, sliced radially 1/4-inch at thickest part
1 lb. fresh chanterelle (or other variety) mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thick
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup white wine or broth
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup + 2 tbsps Parmesan cheese, grated
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large sauté pan (don’t use non-stick) over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion slices and sauté until soft and translucent. Reduce the heat to medium and let the onions cook, stirring every 5 minutes or so to prevent burning. Scrape the bits of fond that stick to the bottom of the pan and stir them into the onions. If the onions begin to burn, lower the heat and continue to cook. This process takes time and should not be rushed. Mine took about 45 minutes. When the onions are a deep caramel color and taste sweet and complex, remove the onions to a bowl. Don’t wash the pan!
Using the same sauté pan, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter over high heat. When the butter is hot, add the mushrooms. Sear the mushrooms on both sides until they are cooked through. Remove the mushrooms to the same bowl as the onions. Add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, sauté the garlic and thyme until fragrant. Stir in the mushrooms and onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the wine (or broth) in and deglaze the pan (use the mushrooms and onions to mop up the delicious browned bits on the pan which maximizes flavor and minimizes cleanup) until the liquid has evaporated. Turn off the heat.
Place half of the mushroom mixture in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped or puréed depending on your texture preference for the dip. In medium bowl, combine the chopped and unchopped mushrooms with the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Mix until uniform. Pour the dip into a small baking dish (it should accommodate 2 cups of dip plus a little extra space) and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan on top. Bake for 20-40 minutes, until the top is browned and bubbling. Serve hot or warm with bread or crackers. Makes 2 cups of dip.
more goodness from the use real butter archives
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hot cheesy green chile dip |
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hot chorizo sweet onion dip |
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chanterelle mushroom hand pies |
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chanterelle toast |
December 20th, 2016 at 12:43 am
this sounds way too addictive (chanterelles > spinach all day!). sounds like it was a rush to get your goodies delivered and get to crested butte, but hope you guys get a chance to settle in and relax over the holidays!
December 20th, 2016 at 5:01 am
Loved your Year in Photos! So many beautiful shots. I have an old hot mushroom dip recipe that I’ve taken to many parties but this one will supersede mine. Caramelized onions? Why didn’t I think of that. Don’t think I can get my hands on chanterelles but will make do with the best mushroom I can find!
December 20th, 2016 at 5:48 am
Well, shoot. I am definitely taking the Hot Cheesy Green Chile Dip to a party on Friday because I just got the ingredients yesterday and (mostly) because I can’t wait to eat it again. Now do I make this too? Decisions….
December 20th, 2016 at 8:36 am
That looks delicious and so tempting on a frigid day.
In case you haven’t heard, there is a safety recall on Cuisinart food processor blades. From the photo it looks like yours may be among the recall! You should check it out to be safe (https://recall.cuisinart.com/)
December 20th, 2016 at 8:52 am
This looks fabulous! I have a friend coming to stay next week who lives in Italy, and I will make it for her as I know this is something she will swoon over! Thanks Jen.
December 20th, 2016 at 9:10 am
Loved your photo album. Thank you for a year of pure pleasure with your blog. I sing your praises far and wide. Happy everything. Looking forward to another year of you, Jeffrey and Neva.
December 20th, 2016 at 6:02 pm
What a beautiful year in review!
December 21st, 2016 at 12:00 am
good morning yen, do you think frozen mushrooms would work? our grocery store carries “mixed wild mushrooms” in the freezer section. i’ve never tried them before (priiiicey!), but would love to try this dip for the holidays. fresh mushrooms, apart from the white button aka styrofoam caps, are only to be had in september/october in these parts.
thanks for answering.
p.s.: i so enjoy your blog, your recipes, your photographs. everything is done so beautifully and your voice is unique. thank you for sharing with us; it is most appreciated. monica
December 21st, 2016 at 8:56 am
heather – Yes, we made it to Crested Butte, but we haven’t relaxed yet ;) It’s all good though!
Jill – The caramelized mushrooms kinda knock this thing outta the park. So good!
Kristin – You know, both are EXCELLENT party dips. Maybe make the mushroom dip for the family to enjoy?
Michelle – Thank you, yes! I saw it on FB from several food friends. I had to wait until I got to Crested Butte to check my cuisinart here – now I have two replacements to order.
MK – Thanks! xo
Helen – Thank you, you are so very sweet. xo
Deb – Thank you!
monica – I thought about frozen mushrooms because my chanterelles are only fresh in late August/September and I freeze the rest (after sautéing in butter first). I believe it will work. Probably best to let them thaw, then set them on a hot pan to evaporate some of the excess liquid. Then add the butter and sauté like you would with the fresh mushrooms? Try that perhaps. Since it’s all getting cooked multiple times and half of it chopped then baked, it should be fine. Hope it works! And thank you for your lovely comment xxoo All the best to you in 2017!
December 21st, 2016 at 12:04 pm
This sounds lovely, but I was wondering if there was a reasonable substitute for the mayo. So many hot dips call for a lot of mayo, and for some reason it just isn’t appealing to me. Thoughts? Sour cream? Thanks so much!
December 22nd, 2016 at 9:28 am
What lovely photos! So happy to hear of the snow and all round joyous vibes, and thanks for the amazing tip to caramelize/freeze onions, brilliant! I’m here looking for last minute menu ideas, my baking flurry is over, bagged up, and ready to go. This seems like a good time to also thank you for all the tried and true recipes, amazing photos and tales of general bad-ass adventures. Merry, happy, joyous and lots of snow to you this New Year.
January 4th, 2017 at 11:39 am
Janice – Sorry for the late reply! You can absolutely sub in sour cream for the mayo. In the original recipe, it uses sour cream, but I just wanted to keep the ingredients simple. Hope that works for you!
farmerpam – That is really nice of you, thank you. I hope you have a wonderful new year, my friend. xo
January 5th, 2017 at 7:04 pm
I made this for a New Years Eve gathering with friends…it was delicious and a huge hit!
July 28th, 2019 at 5:45 pm
I’ve made this a few times now for get-togethers using chanterelles from our little patch, and man, people go crazy for it. Most recently I subbed sour cream for the mayonnaise per your comment, and I think I’ll keep doing it that way. Maybe it’s the brand of mayonnaise I was using, but it had a tendency to separate in the oven. Thank you so much for the recipe!
November 27th, 2019 at 7:05 pm
Can this dip be made ahead and baked at the party?
Thanks for a great idea!
Amy
November 27th, 2019 at 7:11 pm
Amy – Yes! I do this all the time. I’ll mix it up in the morning, then bake in the evening right before guests arrive. Enjoy!!