Spicy Creole Cream Cheese and Sausage Dip

PREP TIME: 45 Minutes
YIELDS: 15–20

COMMENT:
The Spanish brought peppers to North America after developing a taste for them during their contact with the Mayans and Incas. A variety of these peppers thrived in Mexico and eventually came through Texas into plantation country. Thank God for the Spanish!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds diced Velveeta cheese
• 1 (12-ounce) chopped can jalapeños
• 1 pound heavily smoked andouille sausage
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup diced onion
• ¼ cup diced celery
• ¼ cup diced red bell peppers
• 2 tbsps minced garlic
• 3 cups mayonnaise
• 1 (11.5-ounce) container Bittersweet Plantation Dairy Creole Cream Cheese
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• Louisiana Gold Pepper Sauce to taste
• ¼ cup minced parsley

METHOD:
Allow cheese to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove seeds from jalapeno peppers and rinse under cold, running water. This will remove some of the heat. Dice the andouille or other heavily-smoked sausage. In a heavy-bottomed sauté pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, bell peppers, garlic and andouille. Sauté 3–5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add jalapeños and continue to sauté 2–3 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Pour the ingredients from the sauté pan into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Blend well until smooth. Place the blended ingredients in a large mixing bowl and add cheese, mayonnaise and Creole cream cheese. Using a wire whisk, whip until mixture is smooth and of a dipping sauce consistency. Season to taste using salt, pepper and Louisiana Gold. Sprinkle in parsley. Pour ingredients into a decorative serving bowl and heat to serving temperature in the microwave. Place in the center of a large serving platter surrounded by garlic croutons, toast points or tortilla chips. This dip may also be served cold and will hold well in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

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