Creole Spice Whipped Feta

Makes about 1½ cups. 

The smoky heat of Creole Spice is the perfect foil to creamy, salty feta cheese. We whip the two together, along with roasted red peppers for a crave-able spread. This spread is great with flatbread, crackers, raw vegetables, or burgers. 

We learned to make whipped feta from chef Ana Sortun (find her recipe in her cookbook, Spice). This is our riff on Ana’s recipe. For the best results, use barrel-aged feta made from sheep or goat milk (or a combination of the two). 

7 ounces barrel-aged feta, drained*  
¾ cup chopped, roasted red peppers* 
2 teaspoons Creole Spice, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons olive oil 
1 teaspoon chopped garlic (about 1 clove) 
Lemon 

*If you’re buying feta at a Greek or Middle Eastern market, you’ll be able purchase it by the pound, but at the grocery it will be pre-packed. Don't worry, you’ll still get delicious results using 6 or 8 ounces of feta in this recipe! Home-roasted red peppers are perfection, but we often use jarred roasted peppers from Greece, Spain, or Macedonia, which are readily available at many grocery stores. Be sure to drain and pat them dry before chopping.

Crumble the feta into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Add the peppers, spice, oil, and garlic to the bowl. Pulse a few times to chop and combine the ingredients, pause, and scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

Process on high for a few minutes until the mixture is very smooth. The cheese will seem loose and dip-like, which is OK — it will thicken in the fridge. Add just a few drops of lemon juice to brighten the flavors. 

Scoop the mixture into a container with a tight-fitting lid and chill for two hours or longer, allowing the flavors to meld and the mixture to firm up. Just before serving, garnish with a healthy pinch of Creole Spice!

Try this recipe with tofu for a vegan version!