Recipe Background
Line-Of-Scrimmage Dip blends spinach, Gruyère, and Muenster for a game-night crowd-pleaser.
Hosting my first big game night in the new place was as daunting as it was exciting. I wanted to impress without spending the whole evening in the kitchen. Spinach and cheese have always been a winning combination in my book, so the 'Line-Of-Scrimmage Dip' was born. I remember nervously microwaving that heap of spinach, hoping I had done enough prep to keep my guests entertained and happy. It turns out, this was the perfect opportunity to use up that Gruyère and Muenster I had been stashing — a delightful harmony that melted beautifully under the crisped top.
With aromas of onion and poblano chile peppers wafting through the room, I realized the power of a hearty dip in creating an inviting atmosphere. The key to this dip's magic lies in properly squeezing the spinach dry; otherwise, you'd end up with a pool at the bottom instead of velvety wonder. As people began to dig in, serving themselves on toasted sourdough, the room buzzed with conversation and laughter. This dip's charisma isn't just in its taste but in how effortlessly it lets you be the star of your own hosting show, all while keeping one eye on the ever-important third-quarter play.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 large white onion chopped
- 2 poblano chile peppers seeded and chopped
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 (16-ounce) carton button mushrooms thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 6 ounces Gruyère cheese grated, divided
- 6 ounces Muenster cheese grated
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- fresh basil optional, to taste, chopped, for garnish
- sourdough bread optional, to taste, toasted, for serving
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl, add the spinach.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pierce it a few times to allow steam to vent.
- Microwave the spinach until it starts to wilt, about 4 minutes.
- Uncover the spinach and stir.
- Microwave until the spinach until it is completely wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the spinach to a colander and rinse it under cold water.
- Squeeze the spinach dry and set it aside.
- In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and the butter and heat until the butter is fully melted.
- Add the onions, the poblano peppers, the salt, and the black pepper to the butter mixture and cook, while stirring, until the onions are translucent and form an onion mixture, about 4 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms to the onion mixture and cook, while stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium.
- Add the garlic and the flour to the onion mixture and cook, while stirring, until both are incorporated, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the chicken broth to the onion mixture, while stirring, until incorporated and no lumps of flour remain.
- Bring the onion mixture to a simmer.
- Add the sour cream and cook, while stirring, until the onion mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the saucepan from the heat.
- Add the Gruyère cheese to the dip mixture, reserving a few tablespoons for topping, and stir to combine.
- Add the Muenster cheese and the cilantro to the dip mixture and stir to combine.
- In a food processor, add the dip mixture and the spinach and cover the processor.
- Pulse the dip mixture until the spinach is finely chopped and combined.
- In a 1-quart baking dish, add the dip mixture and spread it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the top of the dip mixture with the reserved Gruyère cheese.
- Bake until the cheese melts, about 6 minutes.
- Garnish with the basil and serve with the sourdough bread.
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