Kale and Artichoke Dip

This recipe comes from one of my best friends Lisa's Mom.  My husband and I were over at Lisa and Tim's house having dinner with them last week and Lisa's Mom had made them this dip using kale from their garden.  Oh My God!  It is so delicious!  And whats even better is that you can make it with low fat ingredients and it is just as delicious!  I think that I like it even better than the classic spinach and artichoke because the kale gives it more textural interest and a little more of an earthy base of flavor.  So here is the recipe...you could use other greens such as Swiss Chard and I think it would be successful as well.  I also substituted some of the artichokes with those beautiful onions we got from Owl Pine on Saturday and it was de-lish!!!  And best of all, it's perfect for Summer BBQ season!  Yay Dips!

Lisa made a double portion of the recipe and used a 9x13 pan.

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese, room temp
1 C shredded Swiss cheese
1.5 cans quartered artichoke hearts
2/3 C shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 C milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T Worcestershire
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 bunch kale (approx 4 C chopped and blanched for five minutes, rinsed and squeezed of excess water)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine all ingredients except shredded Swiss and Parmesan in a mixing bowl and blend until well combined. 
3. Add salt and pepper to taste if needed (remember that the cheese on top of the dip will add salinity as will whatever chip-type vehicle you use to dip with).
4. Grease an 8 x 8 casserole and fill with dip mixture.
5. Sprinkle shredded Swiss and Parmesan over dip evenly.
6. Bake dip for approx 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly!
7.  Serve with corn chips, Triscuits, or veggies for dipping!

Fettuccinne with Kale, Chickpeas, Preserved Lemon, and Chili

This pasta is a flavorful combination of many of my favorite Mediterranean flavors.  It is light yet full of flavor, and the greens and beans mean it will keep you satisfied. 

I used homemade preserved lemons in this recipe, but they can also be purchased at markets carrying Middle Eastern and North African goods.  If you are looking for a basic preserved lemon recipe click here.  You can also substitute lemon juice and zest if you would like, but preserved lemons add both acidity and salinity to the dish which I think makes it more dynamic.  I have included those substitution measurements in parentheses. 

The oil-packed Calabrian chilies that I use here may seem foreign.  But they are in fact the chilies that our pantry staple chili flake are made from.  If you live in the Atlanta area, they can be purchased at Antico Pizza as well as markets selling specialty Italian goods.  You can also purchase them online here.  Much like the preserved lemons, you can substitute trusty chili flake for this ingredient as indicated in parentheses, but the whole Calabrian chilies do add an unmistakable depth to the dish.

 Ingredients

• 12 oz. uncooked fettuccine pasta
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 whole Calabrian chilies, minced (or 1 tsp chili flake)
• 1 bunch kale, chopped
• 1 15 oz. can chickpeas
• 1/2 Preserved lemon, rinsed thoroughly and minced (or
  2 Tbs. lemon juice and 1 tsp lemon zest)
• 1/4 C. white wine
• 1/4 C.Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, plus more for garnish

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside ¼ cup cooking liquid.
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic and Calabrian chilies. Cook for 1 minute then deglaze pan with white wine, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
3.  Add the kale and chickpeas.
4. Cover and let cook for five minutes or until kale has wilted.
5. Add the pasta, cooking liquid, and preserved lemon, and 1/4 Parmesan. Toss, taste and season with salt as needed.
6. Serve and garnish with more freshly grated Parmesan.