Smokin’ Cheese Dip

I made this recipe up several years ago when my uncle would bring me about 10 pounds of home smoked salmon every season. It quickly became a family favorite, every time I serve it I am asked for the recipe. This is a unique cheese dip, I have never tasted one like it. Nor have I ever shared my recipe.

• 3 bricks Philadelphia cream cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup coarsely grated or finely crumbled sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup finely crumbled smoked blue cheese or a hard smoked cheese of you liking
• 1-2 cups (dry) smoked salmon depending on your taste
• 3 tablespoons dried dill weed
• the juice from 1/2 a lime, hand squeezed
• pepper to taste

Take your smoked salmon remove any bones or skin that it may have. Now with your hands flake or crumble it fairly small, you want to taste it, but not actually get a chunk of it when you eat the dip. Set aside for now.

Bring cream cheese to room temperature to make it easier to work with. With a hand mixer cream together cream cheese, sour cream and lime juice until its all combined and creamy. Add dill weed and pepper blend on low just until dill weed and pepper is fully incorporated. Add crumbled smoked salmon and mix for about 10 seconds more. Add crumbled sharp cheddar cheese and the crumbled smoked cheese of your choice. Stir in with a spoon.

Scrape all of your cheese dip out of your mixing bowl and into serving bowls or dishes. I like to sprinkle a little dill weed on top to add to the prettiness of this dip or you can sprinkle a tiny bit of paprika for color. Cover your dishes with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight for all of the flavor to develop.

Serve with crackers such as Wheat Thins or Triscuts or with sour dough baguette style bread. It’s sure to be a hit and become a requested dip for upcoming parties. I hope you get the rave compliments I always get with this one.