Hot Mushroom Dip

With the Super Bowl coming up this weekend I thought I'd post my mushroom dip recipe.  This recipe freezes well so I usually make a big batch and then nuke it when it is needed.  Even though there are a lot of onions in this recipe there are onion haters that I know who love this dip and ask me to bring it to certain family get-togethers.  

I got the inspiration from Hope Miller who is Orson Miller's wife.  Orson Miller was a renowned mycologist and wrote a very good book about North American Mushrooms (http://www.amazon.com/North-American-Mushrooms-Inedible-Falconguide/dp/0762731095/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296658756&sr=8-1). I met Hope and Orson the summer before he died, at a Utah Mushroom Society foray along the Mirror Lake Highway.  Hope made a version of this recipe but I didn't quite agree with the way that she made it so I came up with this method.  

I usually serve this hot with wavy potato chips.  It is kind of thick so regular potato chips won't stand up to being dipped in it.  I have used different kinds of mushrooms for this.  White button mushrooms work well but I really like more flavorful mushrooms in this too.  The brown mushrooms that are more common in stores now work really well.  I've also made it with wild morels, wild oyster mushrooms, fresh shitaki mushrooms,  and chanterells.  Also, I usually use Better than Bouillon chicken bouillon.  I love Better than Bouillon products, it is so easy to use and it makes things taste so good.  I add it to all kinds of things, including mashed potatoes, gravy, clam chowder and Finnan Haddie (clam flavored).

This dip can also be used in other ways.  I've been known to make cream of mushroom soup by adding milk or cream and chicken broth.  You can also make an appetizer by placing a teaspoon of the dip on a long strip of phyllo dough then folding the phyllo dough over it like you would fold a flag to make a triangle of dough stuffed with mushroom dip.  I would brush that with melted butter then brown them in an oven.  My favorite way to use mushroom dip is to stir it into scrambled eggs then spoon my grandma's chili sauce over the top.

HOT MUSHROOM DIP

1 lb.           mushrooms

1 med.       onion

8 Tbsp       butter

2 Tbsp       flour

1 Tbsp       lemon juice

1 lb.           carton sour cream (may use low-fat sour cream)

2 tsp.         chicken or vegetarian “Better than Bullion” or granules

                  Tabasco sauce, mustard or salt and pepper to taste

Finely mince onion.  Finely mince mushrooms.  A food processor is the best tool for doing this

Melt 6 Tbsp. butter in a sauté pan add minced onion and cook until softened.  Add mushrooms and sauté until softened.  Add remaining butter and melt, add flour and cook flour until a paste is formed.  Add bullion and sour cream.  Heat through and cook a while longer until the mixture thickens.  

Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Best served hot but may be served at room temperature with potato chips.