Prosciutto Champignon Brie Dip

Every once in a while I get an idea or two for putting something original together in the kitchen. If the result is good (often I come up with disasters), I will share the recipe. Last month I went to a meeting of a wine club I am in and I came up with a dip that went over pretty well (thank goodness).

As I said before, I am a huge fan of prosciutto and for a long time I have wanted to incorporate its spicy and salty tastes into a dip. Also, I know that brie cheese makes an excellent base for a dip as well. The challenge is to keep the saltiness at the right level. Both brie and prosciutto can be on the salty side. When it came time to buy the ingredients, I looked for an alternative to brie to add a little more uniqueness. I chose Champignon Mushroom Cheese. This is a German Brie with mushrooms.

So here we go with the ingredients:

1. ¼ lb of prosciutto—Have the butcher slice it as a 1/8-1/4” thick slice. Butchers are used to cutting prosciutto paper thin--so make sure to ask up front for this cut. The thicker slice makes it easier to work with.
2. ¼ lb of Champignon Mushroom Cheese. Brie will do
3. 16 oz of cream cheese
4. Olive oil as needed
5. 2 cloves of garlic
6. 2 Tbsp of fresh tarragon
7. ½ cup of diced chives
8. 2 Tbsp of fresh oregano
9. Paprika to taste
10. Chipotle chili powder to taste (I like it spicy—careful, a little goes a long way).

Preparation:

Cube the prosciutto and place in food processor with garlic, tarragon, and oregano. Add enough olive oil to coat the contents of the processor. Blend until mixture is almost a paste.

At the same time, combine cream cheese and Champignon Mushroom Cheese in mixer and blend. Depending on size and power of mixer, you may have to start with portions and add as the mixture blends.

Once the cream cheese and brie cheese are well blended, add the prosciutto mixture and half of the chives. Add the paprika and chili powder once the prosciutto mixture is well incorporated. Make sure to add a little bit at a time—adding the paprika and chili all at once may cause it to clump together in one spot of your dip.

Presentation

I served the dip in a bread bowl, but a normal bowl will do. Once the dip is in the bowl, sprinkle some paprika on top for color and top with some of the diced chives. Offer the rest of the chives on the side. You can serve with artisan crackers or sliced sourdough bread.

There you have it. If there are leftovers, the dip makes a nice spread for a sandwich the next day.

Enjoy!