Leek & Spinach Dip

Leeks again! We had a fabulous harvest of them this year, and there are a couple of dozen in the fridge still waiting to be used. Of course, at this time of year the spinach will have to be frozen. I try not to call for too many frozen vegetables in my recipes because it seems like cheating, somehow; but the reality is that we use a lot of frozen vegetables over the winter. That's much of the purpose of having a very large garden.

This is a pretty classic dip, but none the worse for that. Onions are more usual, and you could replace the leek with a couple of medium ones, but the leek is to my mind both more subtle and more interesting. 

8 to 16 servings
1 hour 30 minutes - 30 minutes prep time

4 - 6 cloves of garlic
1 large leek
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon dried dillweed
1 teaspoon rubbed savory
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, ground
1/2 teaspoon salt
a good grind of black pepper
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
150 grams (5 ounces) cooked (frozen) spinach, thawed

Peel and mince the garlic. Trim the leek, chop it finely, rinse it and drain it very well. Heat the butter in a small skillet and cook the leek in it gently for 5 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Don't let it brown; it should just soften and cook down as it sizzles slightly. Add the garlic and dry spices for the last few minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, mix all the other ingredients except the spinach. Chop the spinach very finely - mince it , really - and add it as well.

Add the leeks and garlic, and mix the dip thoroughly. Spoon it into a serving bowl and keep chilled until ready to serve; allow at least an hour for the flavours to develop and meld. Serve with chips or crackers. It also makes a fine topping for baked potatoes.




Last year at this time I made Squash & Chevre Strata. 

Posted in: Ontario Food