Featured Recipe
Stuffed Mini Miches with Twin Dips
By Kate
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Small rustic bread rounds hollowed and filled with sharp aged cheddar-mayo mix. Two chunky dips: caramelized onion with chopped Castelvetrano olives and anchovy paste, plus diced smoked ham folded into creamy mustard-cheese. Wrapped in foil and baked till bubbly, golden. Served with crisp endive, tangy apple, and raw cauliflower and broccoli florets. Simple, hearty, no-fuss appetizer for eight.
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Prep:
45 min
Cook:
55 min
Total:
Serves:
8 servings
appetizers
rustic recipes
bread dips
Introduction
Rustic mini miches, hollowed and filled with a rich cheddar-mayo spread. Two bold dips in one loaf — caramelized onions kissed by olive oil and salty olives mingle with a hint of anchovy paste; smoked ham folded into sharp grainy mustard, shallot, and garlic. Wrapped snug in foil, baked till molten. Serve with bitter endives, sharp apple wedges, raw crucifers. Simple assembly, maximum flavor layers. One loaf for each dip — saves fuss, no double dipping confusion. Use whatever rustic bread you have, fresh or day-old. This isn’t delicate; expect crunchy crust, soft melting filling, perfect for sharing or prepping early. Great for casual gatherings, napkins mandatory.
Ingredients
Bread
- 2 small rustic miches of bread, about 180 g each
- 110 g aged sharp cheddar, grated
- 130 ml mayonnaise
- 120 ml sour cream
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 40 ml olive oil
- 30 g Castelvetrano olives, pitted and chopped
- 5 ml anchovy paste (optional)
- 60 g smoked ham, diced small
- 12 ml whole grain mustard
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 10 ml chopped chives
- 2 heads Belgian endive, leaves separated
- 1 tart apple, cored and quartered
- 1 small cauliflower, trimmed into bite-sized florets
- 1 small broccoli, trimmed into bite-sized florets
Onion-Olive Dip
Ham-Mustard Dip
Accompaniments
About the ingredients
Bread choice matters — rustic or country loaf holds filling better than soft sandwich bread, which gets soggy fast. Hollowing out key: leave enough crumb on sides or it’ll collapse. Reserved crumb can be toasted or dried for breadcrumbs; avoid waste. Cheddar sharpness essential for bite but swap Gouda or Gruyère if preferred, adjust salt since some cheeses vary. Mayonnaise adds moisture and helps creamy texture; sour cream adds tang — can substitute Greek yogurt but expect slight texture shift. On olives, Kalamata sharp and briny, Castelvetrano milder and buttery; swap based on preference or pantry. Anchovy paste optional; omit for milder dip. Ham here is smoked for contrast; trades for cooked ham or prosciutto but adjust salt. Mustard grainy style adds texture; Dijon will smooth it out. Fresh herbs add punch — chives for mild onion hit. For veggies, raw ends perk freshness and crunch; steam briefly only if preferred softer, but raw keeps bite.
Method
Bread Prep
- Rack in center position. Oven to 185 °C (365 °F) - a shade lower to avoid burning.
- Score and remove bread tops with a serrated knife. Scoop out crumb from each loaf, leaving enough structure to hold filling without cracking. Keep reserved crumbs; use in stuffing or breadcrumbs later.
- Mix cheddar, mayo, and sour cream in a bowl until combined but still firm — texture counts here; not too loose or it'll seep out.
- Heat olive oil in skillet over medium. Add onions, stir frequently, cook 9-11 min until onions shrink, soften, and start caramelizing - look for translucent edges, faint browning without burning. Let cool 8 mins.
- Fold in olives, anchovy paste, and half the cheese mix. Salt sparingly, ground black pepper to taste. Anchovy paste elevates umami but is optional; skip if strong flavor isn’t wanted.
- To remaining cheese mix, add smoked ham, mustard, shallot, garlic. Stir evenly. Season lightly. Note smoked ham swaps in for white ham, adds smokiness; mustard quantity adjusted up slightly for balance.
- Fill each hollowed bread cavity with one dip each.
- Place loaves on large foil sheets. Set the removed bread tops back on like lids.
- Wrap tightly in foil, sealing edges. This traps moisture to keep filling creamy and bread soft inside during baking.
- Transfer to baking sheet; bake about 55 min, but watch. Look for filling bubbling inside; foil may puff. Pull foil gently back to peek if unsure. Avoid overbaking to prevent drying out.
- Spoon onion-olive dip with crisp endive leaves and apple quarters — contrast of bitter, sweet, and savory.
- Sprinkle chives on ham-mustard dip and present with raw cauliflower and broccoli florets to add crunch and freshness.
- Leftover crumb? Dry in oven and pulverize for breadcrumb garnish on soups or salads.
Onion-Olive Dip
Ham-Mustard Dip
Assembly
Serving
Technique Tips
Prioritize your onion cooking stage — look for golden edges, softened centers, and that sweet aroma rising. Avoid rushing; raw onions kill dip cohesion. Oven temp slight dip avoids crust too dark before filling is hot throughout — foil wrapping traps steam, keeps crumb from drying. Check mid-cook by lifting foil edges carefully; filling must bubble but not ooze out. If crust toughens too much, tent foil loosely. Filling texture should be spoonable, not liquid, so ratio of mayo to cheese matters. Assembly technique ensures loaf holds form and dips stay put — replaced bread tops keep moisture in and appearance intact. When serving, spoon dips out gently to retain loaf shape, offer plenty of fresh greens or fruit for palate cleanse. Leftovers? Store wrapped, reheat wrapped to avoid drying or toast slices with dips for snack. Be ready for crumbs — hollowing generates them; use in next dish or as coating — no waste. Timing is a guideline; trust sensory cues — aroma, bubbling, texture.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use day-old bread if available; stale holds filling better without collapsing. Avoid soft sandwich bread. Breads should be sturdy, like sourdough.
- 💡 Cooking onions, heat slowly. Avoid high heat. Aim for translucence first then golden hints. Smell the sweet aroma. Caramelizing takes time, don't rush that.
- 💡 For dips, adjust mayo based on filling texture. Too runny, it seeps. Not enough? Too thick to spread. Experiment with cheese types; some melt differently.
- 💡 If using Kalamata olives, they're briny and tangy; adjust seasoning in dips to account for higher salt. Different olives change flavors. Taste as you mix.
- 💡 Don't overbake. Fillings should bubble inside, crust crisp but not tough. If crust hardens, cover loosely with foil. Watch closely in last few minutes.
