Goat Cheese Dip with Shiitake Mushrooms combines cream cheese and goat cheese with savory shiitake mushrooms and is baked and finished with spicy pickled peppers, tomatoes, and more mushrooms. Creamy, savory, and delicious!
8ouncesshiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped(cremini also work well)
10ouncesgoat cheese, softened
4ouncescream cheese, softened
2tablespoonsWhole Grain Dijon Mustard, separated(1 tablespoon to combine with the cheese dip, and one to rim the baking dish prior to baking)
¼cupspicy pickled peppers(we use Mama Lils', but any spicy pepper will work like pepperoncini)
¼cupdiced grape tomatoes(cherry tomatoes work well also)
1baguette, sliced on a bias (one baguette should yield 20 - 30 slices)
Instructions
Sauté Mushrooms: In a cast iron pan over medium heat add olive oil and butter. When butter melts add the chopped mushrooms to the pan. Don’t stir too often, let the mushrooms absorb the liquid and brown for 6 minutes. Stir, add more olive oil if necessary, and let sit again over heat for additional 6 – 8 minutes. Remove from heat when the mushrooms are brown and soft and slightly cripsy on the edges.
Assemble Dip: Combine the cheeses, halfthe mustard, and half the mushrooms into a large bowl, and stir until incorporated. Place mixture into an oven safe dish and then top with the tomatoes, pickled peppers, remaining muhrooms, and rim the outside of the dish with remaining mustard.
Grill (or Bake) Dip: Place the dish on a preheated grill or oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or until you see the cheese bubbling. Remove with heat safe gloves and then serve with crostini and crackers.
Notes
For Softening Cheese: It is much easier to mix together the ingredients together when the goat cheese and cream cheese are softened. To do this, leave them out for an hour, or remove from foil and microwave in 10 second increments until soft (but not melting).Storage - This dip won't store well. You can prepare in advance, but be sure to bake it as soon as you want it served.