SW Three Layer Dip served at Membership Open House

Chef Leslie Christiansen prepared a fabulous table for the Membership Open House on October 22. The historic and authentically restored home of Mary and Scott Crozier on North Central Ave was the perfect venue for these mouth-watering, very appealing appetizers. We are so thankful to Leslie for all she does for the Historical League PLUS she shared this delicious recipe.

As a thank you to the home owners, President-Elect Linda Cathey presented the Crozier's with Tastes & Treasures A Storytelling Cookbook of Historic Arizona.

SOUTHWEST THREE LAYERED DIP

Ingredients:
¼ cup cold water
1 package unflavored gelatin (1T loose powder)
Avocado Layer:
2 large avocados, cut into small cubes
¼ cup green onion, sliced about 1-inch pieces
2 T fresh lime or lemon juice
2 T mayonnaise or sour cream
1 t salt, or more to taste
1/8 t chipotle powder, or to taste

Sour Cream Layer:
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature (low fat is OK, but not non-fat)
¼ cup sweet or yellow onion, finely chopped
Red Pepper Layer:
3 red peppers, (you can use one red, yellow & orange pepper)Roasted in a 375 F oven for 30 minutes; peeled and seeded and rough chopped
¼ cup onion, chopped
¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
2 T mayonnaise or sour cream
1-2 T fresh lime or lemon juice
2  t ground coriander
2 t ground cumin
1/8 t chipotle powder, or to taste
1 t salt, more to taste

Directions:
Lightly oil an 8-inch spring-form pan or spray with non-stick spray.
Put the cold water and gelatin in a heat-proof bowl, stir with a fork to dissolve.
After about 5 minutes, place the bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water; (not boiling) after a few minutes the gelatin will melt.  Keep the bowl on the stove; over the lowest heat.  The gelatin will be divided between the 3 layers.
AVOCADO layer: Put 1 of the cubed avocados, green onion, lime/lemon juice, mayonnaise, salt and chipotle powder in the bowl of a food processor; pulse to almost a puree.  Season to taste with salt; add more salt & hot pepper sauce, if desired.
Stir in the 2nd cubed avocado, along with 1 T of the melted gelatin.  Use an off- set spatula if you have one to spread over the bottom of the prepared pan, refrigerate while you make the next layer.
SOUR CREAM layer: Stir together the sour cream, onion & 2 T of the melted gelatin. Season to taste with salt.  Carefully spread over the avocado layer and chill.
RED PEPPER layer: Put the roasted red peppers, onion, cilantro, mayonnaise, lime juice, coriander, cumin, chipotle powder and salt into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the red peppers look like confetti.  Taste and adjust the seasonings, add more salt if necessary.  Stir in the remaining 1 T gelatin.  Spread on top of the sour cream layer.
Cover and chill until firm, at least 6 hours; overnight is best.
To serve, run a thin knife around the inside of the pan.  Open the spring-form pan and remove the outside ring.  Place the mold- still on the base of the pan, on a decorative platter. 

Chef Leslie Christiansen

To keep the base from sliding place some folded wet paper towels under the dip. 
Serve with tortilla chips or pita crackers.

President-Elect Linda Cathey presents Commemorative book and cookbook to Scott and Mary Crozier.