When I dip, you dip, we dip – Squash, Poblano and Corn Dip

I don’t know about you, but the second I feel a chill in the air I’m staying inside for the foreseeable future and that means spending more and more time gathered around our dining room table or kitchen island with people I love. What better way to encourage good ole grazing and conversation than with delicious dipskies? Seriously, if you know a better way, please let me know – I think everyone’s waistlines will thank you.

Dips don’t have to be boring; they don’t have to be a quick grab and go jar from the grocery store (don’t worry, I’ll smash a jar of French onion dip like the rest of you) but they also don’t have to be hard to make! There is a Mexican steakhouse here in Washington that has this unreal dip on the menu that I’ve been trying to recreate for years, and I think I finally did it but with a fun fall twist! We have roasted poblano peppers, late summer/early fall sweet corn, acorn squash and rich creamy cheesy goodness, where could we go wrong? This dip is rich in seasonal ingredients, is freaking delicious and is sure to be a hit with your next crowd (or just you if you want to be a little dip gremlin).

Acorn Squash, Poblano & Late Summer Corn Dip

Ingredients

1-2 cups of acorn squash (1 small to medium)
1-2 cup shredded Monterey or Mozzarella or Chihuahua Cheese
1-2 ears of sweet corn
2-4 poblano or hatch green chili peppers
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
Cumin
Garlic Powder
Cream cheese
Heavy Cream

Instructions

Pre heat your oven to 425.

Cut your acorn squash in half, scoop any seeds out, drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cumin. Set cut side down on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

If your corn is still in the husk, add it to one half of a cookie sheet. If the corn is already husked, toss into boiling water for 10 minutes to soften (or the microwave for 5).

Clean your peppers then brush all sides with olive oil, add to the other end of the cookie sheet with your corn husks.

Roast both pans of veggies for 35 minutes until everything is tender and has some color (check half way through).  Remove from oven and let everything cool.

Once your peppers are soft and a bit charred, remove the top layer of skin (should be easily peeling off) along with the seeds from inside the roasted pepper. Set aside the clean flesh and then dice into a rough chop.  

When your squash is cooked and cooled, peel the skin and scoop your soft roasted squash into a food processor. Add about one quarter of a block of cream cheese, a quarter of your shredded cheese, about 2-3 tablespoons of heavy cream, 1 tsp of cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder and salt/pepper to taste and then blend until silky smooth. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

This step is optional, once your corn is cooked, cut the kernels off the cob and toss in a pan to toast and get some extra charred flavor. If you don’t want the extra step, go ahead and skip the pan and just add your cut corn into a bowl (the same bowl as the squash puree is fine) and set aside.

Into your mixing bowl, add about half of your remaining cheese, your corn and poblano peppers and mix well.  and mix all ingredients until well incorporated.

Once everything is together, scoop your dip into an oven safe vessel, top with the remaining cheese and pop back in the oven until the cheese is melty.

Serve warm with tortilla chips or baguette!