Spicy Feta Dip with Charred and Pickled Pepps

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Pantry

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• ½ cup sliced pickled pepperoncini
• Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
• crackers, breadsticks, bread, radishes, cukes or anything else, for serving

Produce

• 4 jalapenos
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 lemon

Dairy

• 6 ounces feta cheese

Preparation

1. Char the jalapenos:

• Place 3 jalapenos right on your burner and turn the heat to medium. Char, flipping and turning occasionally until blackened all over and beginning to soften, 12-15 minutes. If you don’t have a gas range, you can do this on a baking sheet positioned under the broiler instead. Using tongs, transfer the jalapenos to a medium bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let steam for 10 minutes.

• Using the back of a knife, scrape away and discard the blackened skins. Remove the seeds and stems, and transfer to the bowl of a food processor.

2. Blitz it up:

• Add 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, the juice of half a lemon, and 2 tablespoons olive oil to the jalapenos and process in long pulses until finely chopped.

• Add 6 ounces feta (broken or cut into a few smaller pieces if necessary) and pulse until smooth, and the consistency of hummus. You may need to add a tablespoon of water to help thin it out. Season with salt if needed but careful–feta tends to be quite salty naturally and you may not need much.)

3. Top and serve:

• Finely chop the remaining jalapeno (discarding the seeds if you’re not into spice) and ½ cup pickled pepperoncini. Combine them in a bowl with a pinch of salt and the juice of half a lemon.

• Serve: Transfer the whipped feta to a serving dish, making a divot in the center with the back of a spoon. Spoon the jalapeno/pepper mixture into the divot. Drizzle the dip generously with olive oil, scatter more oregano over top and finish with freshly ground black pepper.

from Molly Baz’s Patreon