Spinach Banana Blossom Cheese Dip

This recipe is a deviation from the more popular Spinach Artichoke Dip - made from artichoke hearts and spinach leaves blanched before it is used.
One day, I was enjoying a nice bowl of Kare-kare - a Filipino dish made of several types of meat in a sauce of peanut butter base. It is served with native vegetables like eggplant, string beans and banana blossom. While partaking of kare-kare one day, I took bite of banana blossom, then recognized a familiar texture and taste.
It didnt come to me immediately where I had experienced this flavor until I had an afternoon pika-pika in a resto one day after work. One of my buddies ordered a spinach artichoke dip to go with our favorite beer - Stella Artois- that it hit me. This was the texture!
So what I have done is replace the expensive and sometimes difficult to find (in Manila) ingredient - artichoke hearts. Instead, what I used is the canned variety of banana blossoms which come plentiful here in San Francisco and costs about a third of what it might cost ($0.99)if using artichoke. Canned banana blossoms come soaked in brine which seem to remove the bitter taste of the fresh variety and without the sap.
The vegetable also is very tender and the same (not almost but the same) texture as artichoke when chopped. If one is using the fresh vegetable, i suggest boiling it in acidulated water by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar. Replace the water at least twice to ensure that the blossoms come clean without the bitter taste.
I have used bechamel sauce to extend the recipe - using less of the cheese but still providing that great creamy sauce.
Ingredients:
Banana blossoms - cooked until tender and chopped
Bunch of spinach - cooked until wilted and chopped
1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese
1/2 block of cream cheese (room temperature) beaten
1/4 cup of sour cream
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Bechamel sauce (recipe follows)
5 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
2 teaspoons salt
dash nutmeg - (optional)

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat until melted. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Over medium heat, cook until the mixture turns a light, golden sandy color, about 6 to 7 minutes. Taste the sauce, it should have a nice nutty flavor

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a separate pan until just about to boil. Add the hot milk to the butter mixture 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Season with salt and nutmeg if using, and set aside until ready to use.

Combine the vegetables, sour cream, with half of the parmesan cheese, then layer into a heat proof dish. Alternate the vegetables, cheese and bechamel ending with a layer of bechamel topped with parmesan. I would add a sparse spoonful of breadcrumbs and knobs of butter to give it a nice crust.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes but check at around 20 minutes. When a nice brown crust forms on top, the dish is done
Serve with crusty bread!
I guarantee that no one will know the difference if you used banana blossom in place of artichokes. In fact I found folks were delighted that banana blossoms were prepared in such a gourmet way.
Let me know how it goes by emailing me or adding a comment to the thread.

Chicken, Corn and Crab soup with Quail Eggs

On cold rainy days, one looks to their favorite comfort foods. One of mine is the classic Chinese soup which can easily be prepared quite quickly. Start with a few slices of ginger, three or four green onions and one chicken thigh. Boil in water until the meat is tender - approximately 15-20 minutes. Then add cream style corn - preferably the unsweetened one. If one is not available, what I use are frozen whole kernels and chop the kernels finely while still frozen. I add this to the chicken while boiling it, giving the corn time to impart its flavor to the stock. When the chicken is tender, take off the bone and pull the meat into shreds. Add another half cup of corn, about two tablespoons of wanton soup powder,crab meat - I use the canned ones which have been picked of shells and comparable in quality, beaten egg,and quail eggs. To thicken the soup, I use 1/2 tsp corn starch dissolved in 1/4 cup of water. I add this to the boiling soup until slightly thickened. Splash with sesame oil before serving.
Total Cost to feed 5 adults with second servings - $5.00
Canned crab - Caravelle brand from Thailand - $0.99 which one can purchase from any Asian store

Great buys from Trader Joes

Excellent salad dressing from Trader Joes - and Merlot from Sonoma Valley - both are great bargains but quality products. Champagne Pear Vinaigrette $2.50 and the Merlot $3.99