feta lovers tomato/olive oil dip

How To Make feta lovers tomato/olive oil dip

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  Chef's Note: Okay… I confess. I came up with this dip because I was getting tired of serving all those dips made with cheddar, and pepper jack, and all those other ingredients. I wanted something different, with a hint of Eastern flavors, and to be low in calories. I worked this one out in the test kitchen yesterday. The Feta is there, but it's blended together with the other ingredients to create a very mild dip. That's why I added the cayenne… to give it a bit of a kick. If you like Feta, I think you will like this dip. If you don't, well… the decision is up to you.
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  Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 225f (107c).
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  Rinse off the cherry tomatoes, and then place them into an ovenproof baking dish.
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  Chef’s Note: The dish should be big enough to hold the tomatoes in a single layer, but not much bigger. I found that a glass pie dish worked just fine.
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  Whisk together the olive oil, white wine, salt, and pepper, until fully incorporated.
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  Chef’s Tip: I use a stick blender to make sure the olive oil and wine are fully blended.
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  Add the liquid to the baking dish containing the tomatoes, and then add the thyme sprigs, and garlic cloves.
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  Place in the preheated oven and allow to bake for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the tomatoes are swollen, and the skins wrinkled.
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  Chef's Note: Could you bake the tomatoes at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time… Yes. However, you want the tomatoes, and the other ingredients to slowly blend together. A shorter baking time translates into less flavor.
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  Remove from oven, and allow to completely cool.
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  Discard the thyme sprigs and garlic.
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  Add the feta to a food processor fitted with an S-blade.
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  Pour the liquid from the tomatoes into the bowl with the Feta, and reserve the tomatoes.
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  Add the cayenne pepper (if using), oregano, and basil to the bowl.
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  Blend at high speed until completely mixed and smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes
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  Add the tomatoes, lime juice, and then give the ingredients 2 or 3 pulses of 1-second each.
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  Chef’s Note: The tomatoes should be incorporated into the Feta; however, it should be a bit chunky.
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  Pour into a small saucepan, and warm it up a bit.
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  Chef’s Tip: I like this dip to be warm, but not hot. It also serves well at room temperature.
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  Pour into a serving dish, and garnish with the chopped thyme.
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  Serve with pita chips, or some nice fresh veggies… Carrots, broccoli, and celery come to mind. Enjoy.
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  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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