When Thanksgiving rolls around, everyone gets caught up in the turkey, the pie, and the sides … but one of my favorite things about Thanksgiving are the appetizers! It's easy to nibble as you put the finishing touches on the big event and you can work in a lot more variety and ingredients that might raise an eyebrow if they showed up on the bird! In a nod to the excellent appetizers, we continue our journey with a spicy dip featuring Mexican style chorizo, jalapeños, and chèvre.
If you want to reduce the heat in this dish, use mild chorizo, chop sweet mini peppers instead of jalapeños, and opt for milder cheese. You can even omit the chiles in the topping, but I really love the mild kick they bring to the dish. The end result will have substantially less heat and will still be downright stunning on a chip. Speaking of chips, choose hearty chips that will handle a thick dip or you will be breaking them all over!
While I'm featuring this dip as part of a pre-Thanksgiving dinner spread, I think it would also be fantastic as part of a fall potluck, tailgate, or even - later on - a Super Bowl party. It's also a lovely offering on a nacho buffet where you make lots of cheesy dips and dig into them with your favorite chips. I'll leave you now to contemplate all the delicious ways you can enjoy it!
Spicy Chorizo & Chèvre Dip
- 12 oz. raw pork chorizo
- 2 T. chopped jalapeños, seeds removed
- 6 oz. chèvre (goat cheese), room temperature
- 12 oz. pepperjack cheese, shredded & divided
- 1 c. mixed chopped heirloom tomatoes
- 1 T. roasted green chiles
- 1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
- Corn tortilla chips, for serving
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cook and crumble the chorizo in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Add the jalapeños; cook for an additional minute. Add the chèvre and half of the pepperjack cheese and stir to combine. Remove from the heat.
Spread the warm mixture into an 9 x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining pepperjack cheese on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top of the dip starts to brown.
To serve: top with mixed tomatoes tossed with roasted green chiles and chopped cilantro; serve with corn tortilla chips.
- Yields: 12 servings
- Preparation Time: 40 minutes