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Warm Bacon-Cheese Dip

Source of Recipe

From "Back Around the Table" by David Venable


Recipe Introduction

"To me, cheese and bacon are two of God's most perfect foods, so I'm always looking for new ways to combine them. When you serve this rich, comforting dip in a hollowed-out bread bowl, the presentation alone says, 'Party time!' I like the mix of cheeses suggested below, but if you have a favorite blend, go for it. This dip lends itself well to most kinds of cheeses. For the bread bowl, I recommend a sourdough loaf, but any sturdy bread, like pumpernickel or rye, will work, too. It does take one hour for the dip to get hot all the way through, but trust me; it's definitely worth the wait."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 pound bacon slices, softened
â—¦ 1 cup chopped Vidalia onions
â—¦ 1 8-inch round sourdough loaf
â—¦ 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
â—¦ 1 cup sour cream
â—¦ â…“ cup mayonnaise
â—¦ 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack
â—¦ ¾ cup (3 ounces) shredded yellow Cheddar
â—¦ 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
â—¦ 1 scallion, thinly sliced, for garnish


Recipe

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Arrange the bacon in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the cold oven. Turn on the oven to 400° F. Bake until the bacon is crispy, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels. Save 2 to 3 tablespoons bacon drippings to sauté the onions. Reduce the oven temperature to 375° F. Once the bacon is cool, chop it into small pieces. Reserve ¼ cup chopped bacon to garnish the dip.

While the bacon is cooking, use a serrated knife to slice off the top quarter of the bread. Pull out most of the soft interior, leaving a 1-inch thickness on the inside. Cut the interior bread into cubes, place in a single layer on a baking sheet, and lightly toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

Heat the reserved bacon drippings in a skillet over low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain off any excess oil.

While the onions are cooking, whisk together the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, ¾ cup of the Monterey Jack, ½ cup of the Cheddar, and the Worcestershire sauce in a bowl until smooth. Add the chopped bacon and the onions to the cream cheese mixture, stirring well. Spoon the dip into the hollowed-out bread. Wrap the bread with aluminum foil, place it on a baking sheet, and bake for 45 minutes.

Remove the foil from the bread bowl and sprinkle the top with the remaining ¼ cup Monterey Jack, the remaining ¼ cup Cheddar, the reserved ¼ cup chopped bacon, and the scallion. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Serve with the toasted bread cubes.


Makes 3½ to 4 cups