Antipasto Dip or Antipasto Orzo, your call...

Don't fret when you look at this photo. Yes, it may be a longer list of ingredients than I would usually cook with, but I swear that this combination is an Italian explosion in your mouth - I wouldn't lie to you. I first had this dip at a holiday party several years ago and then it reappeared last December at the same holiday party. The Antipasta Dip may have a lot of ingredients but the preparation turned out to be super easy - you just about throw everything into the cuisinart and blend.

You will need:
1 140z can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 7oz cans sliced mushrooms, drained and chopped
1 7oz jar roasted peppers, drained and chopped
1 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, drained and chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion or shallot (I used shallots)
1 clove garlic, minced (I used more garlic, surprise surprise)
1/2 cup olive oil
2/3 cup white vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper


Artichoke hearts in the cuisinart, I pulsed until finely chopped.

Mushrooms in the cuisinart, pulse until finely chopped. I wouldn't be using the mushrooms unless they were very finely chopped.

Roasted red peppers, chopped up in the cuisinart.

As I chop each ingredient I add it to a mixing bowl.

Pimiento-stuffed olives, chopped and into the mixing bowl.

Green bell pepper.

Celery.

Mix these first six ingredients in a mixing bowl.

I used the cuisinart to chop the shallots and then added them to a saucepan with the olive oil.

Add the minced garlic to the saucepan with the olive oil and the shallots. Saute until tender, about three minutes.

Now add the white wine vinegar to the saucepan.

Add the Italian seasoning to the saucepan.

Add the salt to the saucepan.

Add the sugar to the saucepan.

Add the pepper to the saucepan; bring to a boil, then remove from heat.

Add the hot saucepan mixture to the raw chopped veggies and mix well. Cover and set aside.


I stopped at this point in the recipe and served the antipasto dip alongside crusty french bread. It is really good with fresh flavors (you can't tell the mushrooms are there), great appetizer.

You could even spoon this on sliced baguettes and serve as prepared bruchetta. Oh, what about shaving some parmesan on top and putting them under the broiler for a minute or two? That sounds like an easy way to "fancy" up this dip.

OR you could cook a package of orzo pasta and mix with the vegetables. Chill this for a day or overnight and you have a very tasty chilled pasta dish. This recipe yields five cups, so you could serve this as a dip and then combine the leftovers with some pasta for another meal.