Creamy Green Chile Feta Dip

For years our buffet table and game day menus have included a favorite cream cheese, scallion, fresh lemon juice, with salty crumbled feta cheese dip.   So simple, and so completely devoured every time.  Today we’ve Southwesternized it for more layers of flavor and a little heat.  By adding roasted chopped green chile or poblano, and a splash of green hot sauce like Tabasco, it takes ‘licking the bowl clean’ to another level.

Creamy Green Chile Feta Dip with Fresh Lemon

Makes: 1 1/4 cups

Ingredients:

1 large fresh green chile or poblano

8 oz. cream cheese, soft at room temperature

4 oz crumbled feta cheese

2 scallions, fine chopped

2 Tblsp fresh lemon juice

pinch salt and pepper to taste

A few splashes of Green Tabasco Sauce if desired

Instructions:

First, roast the chile to char the skin on all sides (here is a link with steps on chile prepping).  Place in a plastic baggie, seal and allow to steam for 25 minutes.  Remove the skin, cut open and remove the seeds.  Cut out the seed pod (if a poblano).  Cut the smooth chile meat / fillet into 1/4 inch pieces and place in a medium mixing bowl.

Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly with a spoon.

Serve with tortilla chips. 

Note: canned chopped green chiles will work, just be sure to drain them as much as possible and check for saltiness in proportion to the feta cheese, as some canned chile brands are quite salty.  We prefer to roast a fresh chile for the texture, since canned will sometimes get mushy when blended into the dip.

Note: this is also a tasty sandwich spread for cold subs, sliced turkey roll-ups, or a grilled cheese with shredded asadero and Serrano ham.

Buen Provecho!

Amy & Mr.D