Windy City Deli Dip Food

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SMOKY QUESO DIP

Steps:

• Place the sage on a paper towel and leave it in a cool dry place to dry it out for 8 hours or up to overnight.
• Heat a smoker to 350 degrees F with char-hickory pellets.
• Cut the neck or narrow end of the butternut squash off to separate it from the round, bulbous bottom end. Scoop the seeds out of the squash bottom and reserve to use as a dip bowl. Peel the narrow end and cut into about 1-inch dice. (You should have about 4 cups of diced squash.)
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the squash, chipotle chile and some salt and saute until the squash starts to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, toss the shredded cheeses with the cornstarch in a bowl and set aside. Add 1 cup water to the squash, then simmer until very tender, about another 10 minutes. Add the milk, then blend using an immersion blender until silky and smooth. Add the cheese, then stir well to help melt the cheese. Season to taste with salt. Transfer the pan to the smoker and let the queso absorb that wonderful smoke until the color is darker and the flavor is smokier, about 30 minutes.
• Draw a face on your squash bottom if you wish, then add the dip directly to the squash. Carefully light the dried-out sage, then blow it out to create smoke and stick it straight up in your dip. Cover it with a dome or deep bowl (tall enough not to smush the sage bunch); this will infuse the flavor and keep the demons and ghouls away. Remove the dome right when guests are ready to eat. Serve with kale chips, tortilla chips, raw veggies or soft pretzels.

ARTICHOKE AND SPINACH DIP CHICKEN PANINI

Steps:

• Stir together the artichokes, spinach, sour cream, fontina and Parmesan in a bowl. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat a grill pan or panini press on medium heat.
• Spread the artichoke mixture on all the slices of bread. Place 1 layer of chicken on 4 of the bread slices, then top each with a couple of layers of roasted red peppers. Top with the remaining bread. Brush the outside of each sandwich with some olive oil.
• Place the sandwiches on the grill pan or in the panini press. If using a grill pan, place a cast-iron skillet or brick wrapped in foil on top of the sandwiches to weigh them down. Cook, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and the cheese is melted and gooey in the center, 3 to 5 minutes per side. If using a panini press cook 6 to 10 minutes total.

DECONSTRUCTED CANNOLI CHIPS AND DIP

Steps:

• Fill a Dutch oven one-third full with oil and heat to 350 degrees F.
• Fry the wontons in a single layer, not overcrowding the pot. Flip the wontons once or twice until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the wontons with tongs or a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat until all the wontons are fried.
• Place the ricotta, sugar and liqueur in a large bowl and stir until well combined. Whip the cream in a separate bowl with a handheld mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream and 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips into the ricotta mixture.
• Transfer the ricotta-cream mixture to a medium dip bowl or 8-by-8-inch baking dish and spread evenly. Starting from the left side of bowl, make a row, from top to bottom, of the pistachios, followed by a row of the cherries, then the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Freshly grate orange zest over the top and plate the wonton chips on the side. Dust the chips with confectioners' sugar and serve.

GIANT DELI SANDWICH

Steps:

• To make this muffuletta-style deli sandwich, slice off the top third of a 12-inch round loaf of bread. Hollow out the inside of the loaf, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fill the loaf with a mix of deli meats and cheeses (we used prosciutto, provolone, turkey, soppressata and mozzarella), fresh basil, roasted peppers and sliced tomatoes. Drizzle with vinaigrette, then replace the bread top. Wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap and weight it down with a heavy skillet; refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, then cut into wedges.