Terri Joseph of the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago gave us this gem of a giardiniera recipe. This spread is perfect for parties. Trust me - If you put a bowl of this out for guests, it’ll be gone by the end of the night.
It's also great for a big old party of one and can be used on your favorite sandwich.
Ok, ready to go? Get ready for all those "holy cow, this is awesome" compliments, you killer chef, you...
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 ¼ cup grated sharp or extra sharp white cheddar cheese (TIP: Bust out the grater for these cheeses. You may be tempted to buy the pre-grated versions, but don’t do it. The texture won't be great.)
- 1 package of cream cheese at room temperature
- ½ cup of mayo
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
- couple dashes of cayene pepper (optional if you want more heat)
- ½ cup your favorite giardiniera, oil drained and finely chopped. We used a food processor. Check out this list to find your favorite kind. For this recipe, we suggest hot or mild giardiniera from That Pickle Guy, Chicago Johnny's or IL Primo's.
Steps:
Note: Prepare this spread 2-6 hours ahead to let the flavors meld.
- Mix the mayo, cream cheese and dry spices until it's very creamy.
- Add the rest of the ingredients until well blended.
This recipe yields about 3 cups of spread. This dip will go fast, peeps. You might want to double the recipe if you have a crowd larger than eight. Happy eating folks!