French Onion Dip with Salmon Roe

Everyone remembers the retro onion dip made with a packet of dried onion soup mix dumped into sour cream and served with potato chips.  This is a more sophisticated version, inspired by a dish served at Huso, the caviar-centric restaurant of Marky’s, a specialty food store in Manhattan.  While it is always recommended to use full-fat ingredients for a heightened taste, I chose to use some low-fat ingredients for my rendition. Full or low fat, this super simple, but elegant dish definitely has a “wow” factor, thanks to the addition to salmon roe.

Ingredients:

½ cup sour cream

½ cup crème fraiche

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon grated shallot

1 teaspoon grated garlic

½ teaspoon grated lemon rind

1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

1.75 ounces salmon roe

Accompaniments:  3 Belgian endives, separated into individual leaves; ½ cup celery sticks; unsalted crackers.

Cooking instructions:

1.       Add all the ingredients, except the salmon roe,  into a bowl and mix thoroughly.

2.       Add one half of the salmon roe and mix in.

3.       Put into a serving bowl and top with the remaining roe.

4.       Present bowl over cracked ice along with Belgian endive and celery sticks. Serve unsalted crackers separately.

5.       Have a bag of potato chips on the side, just in case!

Beverage recommendations:  Brut champagne, dry white wine or iced cold vodka.

Serves: 4-6