Blue Cheese Dip

If you have a garden or farmer's market nearby, there's much to be said for setting out a plate of raw summer vegetables and serving them with nothing more than a great dip. Here is one that everybody seems to enjoy, a creamy blue cheese dip that's good with crunchy radishes (provide some toothpicks for impaling them), baby carrots, broccoli and the like. Use enough of any combination of veggies to feed 4 or 5 people.

4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, (Neufchâtel)

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 scallions, trimmed and coarsely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar, or white-wine vinegar

3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese, (4 1/4 ounces)

2 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Step 1
Place cream cheese, parsley, scallions, garlic, lemon juice and vinegar in a food processor; pulse until the mixture is fairly smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice. Add blue cheese, mayonnaise and pepper; pulse until smooth but still textured. You don't want the dip to be too smooth. If it seems to need a little thinning, add a teaspoon or so of water. Variation: For Parmesan Dip, substitute 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan for the blue cheese.