As with many of our recipes, I’m all about the ‘kitchen-sink technique’; it’s all about what we have on hand. I prefer recipes that I can easily substitute something of a like kind and that it satisfies all three of our diverse palates (harder to come by with some dishes for the kid but we manage, sometimes it’s all about ‘deconstructing’ the elements to make her happy). This dish is easy peasy. Creamy, cheesy dip with an added vegetation and optional crab, imitation crab, or lobster (this recipe celebrates Maine with lobster). This could easily stay a veg dip with spinach, baby kale artichoke, or even cooked broccoli or asparagus. And eaten with whatever it is you like to dip (you could even leave out the veg and instead use crudité to dip with…) – chips, crackers, bread, veg, etc.
This is hearty but not heavy (unless you eat too much, I suppose) and works great as a dish to bring to a gathering (y’know, when those can happen again) or for a ‘family style dinner’ – which we do often. We’re all about a dish we can all share from a center dish (no individual dishes, just utensils and napkins). I am not savvy enough to substitute the cream cheese with plant-based cheese (though I am really nerding out on plant-based cheese recipes from Pascal Baudar’s book: Wildcrafted Fermentation – more to come on that when I feel successful).
It’s funny that here in Maine, people do very little with lobster. As I’ve probably mentioned before it is mostly eaten steamed or boiled, on a roll with mayo, sometimes tails split/stuffed/roasted, and once in awhile with pasta – either simply with something like linguine or decadently with macaroni and cheese. There’s always bisque. I’m always looking for new ideas and options (why do we rarely see it flourishing atop a nice green salad?). I find this dish handy for the lobster leg meat you painstakingly pulled out and saved, or a frozen portion of imitation crab (there are healthy versions out there, why can’t they just call it what it is?), or a nice little container of crab meat.
Hot Lobster Dip
Serves 4 as a main ‘dish’
8 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese, plus a little more to sprinkle on top
3/4 Mayonnaise
8-10 oz Lobster/Crab/Imitation Crab – cut into smaller bits if needed
1/2 cup Minced Green Onion/Scallions (optional)
13 oz can Artichoke Hearts – chopped into smaller bits if needed (or a big handful of fresh baby spinach/kale or 1 cup frozen greens/broccoli bits, etc)
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice or White Wine
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce (optional)
1 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Ground Mustard
1/2 tsp Ancho Chili (or any kind of Chili you like) powder
1 Tbsp Butter or Oil to prepare baking dish
Tortilla Chips or other dipping option
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a Medium to Large bowl whip or mash Cheeses with Mayonnaise with Lemon Juice. Sprinkle spices over mix, then fold in Lobster, Onions, and Artichokes. Using a rubber spatula, turn out into a buttered square baker (8×8) and sprinkle extra Parmesan on top.
Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until heated through and the top has browned a bit.
Dip Away!
Rock Bottom Homestead 