Football fans know that to keep a team at the top, you have to mix up the playbook every so often. The same goes for winning the tailgate, which brings us to an inventive muffuletta dip that delivers the flavors and textures of the classic New Orleans Italian sandwich in a shareable, scoopable form perfect for pregame huddling.
Somewhat incongruously, inspiration for the dip came while Marcus Woodham, executive chef of Charles & Julia, a small-plates-and-cocktails lounge in Uptown New Orleans, was on a family beach trip. “We had muffulettas, and the bread was a little past its prime, so I remember thinking, ‘I bet all this stuff would be damn great on its own.’ I started playing around with the idea of taking everything you love about a muffuletta and turning it into something you could scoop and eat as a dip.”
The end result is a dip that satisfies like the sandwich. “It has this chunky texture, almost like a cowboy caviar,” Woodham says. “You get the firmer chew of the salami, the creaminess and slight squeak of the cheese, and little pops of briny capers all in the same bite. My favorite addition is the Calabrian chiles that bring a quick punch of spice without taking over everything else. Every scoop is a little different, which is part of the fun. It’s great for tailgating because it has all those salty, savory flavors that make you want a cold beer, without being weighed down by a lot of bread. It’s easy to put out, and easy for people snack on.”