Gorgonzola-Avocado Dip

Putting this here mainly so I don't forget it...recipe was shared with me by a FB friend.

Gorgonzola-Avocado Dip
(adapted from "Roquamole" in Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson)

• 1 c. crumbled gorgonzola (or other blue cheese); I often only use about ¾ c., since this is rather strong**
• ¼ c. sour cream (I use lowfat)
• 2 ripe avocados+
• ¼ cup finely diced dill pickle**
• shot of chili or Tabasco sauce**
• 1-2 TBSPs fresh snipped chives**
• ¼ tsp paprika
• juice of 1 lime, or a shot of bottled lime juice (optional)**

Let the gorgonzola and avocado come to room temperature (this will make them combine much more easily).

Then mash together well, in a bowl, the gorgonzola, sour cream, dill pickle, chives, and (optional) chili sauce and lime juice.

Add the avocado to the mixture and mash well, until you have a thick, creamy dip. (It's okay if there are still some little lumps of cheese here and there.)

Put in a serving bowl, sprinkle paprika over the top. Serve with tortilla chips. (I prefer tortilla "scoops," because they make it much easier and less sloppy for people to eat dips. Nigella's recipe recommends blue corn tortilla chips for this dip.)

Note: The avocado will go brown quickly, once it's exposed to air. Adding lime juice helps slow this process. Even so, it will go brown. So I find this isn't a good dip to put out at a large party where it'll sit for a long time. It's best to put in front of hungry dinner guests as an appetizer, so they eat it before it has a chance to go brown. (For this same reason, I add the avocado to this dip right before serving; never ahead of time—though you can have everything else already mixed in the bowl and ready-to-finish.)

+ The easiest way to deal with an avocado is cut it in half, remove the pit, then use a small spoon or teaspoon to scoop out bite size chunks of it, directly out of the shell and into the dip.

** The original recipe calls for Roquefort or Saint Agur (instead of gorgonzola), sliced green pickled jalapeños from a jar (instead of minced dill pickle and an optional shot of chili sauce), and finely sliced scallions (instead of chives). I substituted ingredients that I prefer or am more likely to have in my kitchen, and you should do the same. The original recipe does not call for any lime, but it does help slow the browning process.