Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring
Salt Table’s Old Man River Blend
Gooey, a bit messy, and loaded with calories (but so worth it!), hot cheese dip is always a crowd pleaser and the Salt Table’s Old Man River Blend really boosts the flavor without adding salt. Other great seasoning blend pairings for this dip are Dave’s House Salt, Hostess City Blend, and Savannah Spanish Moss Blend.
Serves 8-12
Ingredients:
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 6 ounces (1½ cups) extra sharp cheddar, grated
- 2 ounces (generous ½ cup) Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
- ½ cup finely chopped scallion (about 3-4 small scallions)
- The Salt Table’s Old Man River Blend
- The Salt Table’s Fine Sea or Himalayan Pink Salt
- Crackers, plain melba toast rounds or pita chips, or scoop-type corn chips
How to Make:
- In a large mixing bowl, whip the cream cheese with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Set aside 1/3 cup of the cheddar and fold the remainder into the cream cheese. Fold in the Parmigiano and scallion. Season to taste with Old Man River Blend and mix well. Taste, and if it needs salt, add a little sea or Himalayan Pink salt as needed.
- Transfer the mixture to an 8-inch gratin or small baking dish, smooth top, and sprinkle with the reserved cheddar. Cover and refrigerate until 30 minutes before baking.
- 3. When ready to serve, take the dip from refrigerator and put it on a rimmed baking sheet. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375° F. Bake the dip until it’s bubbly and lightly browned on top, about 20-25 minutes. Serve with crackers, melba toast rounds, pita chips, or sturdy scoop-type corn chips.
Variation: Three Cheese Ball. To make this into a cold cheese ball spread, put all the cheese into the mix, then cover the bowl and chill the cheese for 2-4 hours or until fairly firm. Scoop it onto a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a ball. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve it. Just before serving, unwrap the ball and roll it in chopped toasted pecans, chopped crisp bacon, or minced flat-leaf parsley. Put it on a serving plate and surround it with crackers, melba toast rounds, or plain pita chips.