.big dipper spring dip.

i made this dip last weekend and after everyone kept requesting the recipe, i figured it was good enough to share on here. you could say it was deemed 'blog worthy'! ha!

what i liked most about this dip was how versatile it was. i loaded it with a bunch of spring vegetables like asparagus and peas, but you could also just use some classic ingredients like spinach and it will come out just as tasty!

below you will find the recipe i found from the april 2012 edition of bon appetit magazine, a random piece of paper i ripped out before recycling [please tell me i'm not the only one doing this still?].

Big Dipper Spring Dip

directions:

1] preheat oven to 450F. cook the chopped asparagus pieces in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. drain; let cool.

2] melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. add chopped leeks and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 10 minutes.
3] whisk in flour; gradually whisk in the whole milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened; remove from heat.
4] add in grated white cheddar cheese. stir until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth. season with salt & pepper.
5] fold in asparagus pieces [save the tips to decorate the top later]; chopped artichoke hearts; fresh or frozen [and thawed] peas; fresh chopped chives, mint and parsley and the lemon zest. add 2-oz. crumbled goat cheese. mix well.
6] transfer mixture to a 4-5 cup baking dish; arrange asparagus tips on top and dot with the remainder 2-oz. goat cheese.
7] bake until golden brown and bubbling, 15 - 20 minutes should do the trick. let rest for 5 minutes before serving with crackers, crostini, or tortilla chips.