5 dip recipes from Chicago chefs to make for the Super Bowl

Horseradish & Applewood Smoked Bacon Dip from Heather Terhune, former chef at Sable Kitchen & Bar

Ingredients:
8 slices of good applewood smoked bacon (such as Nueske’s)
½ c. fine diced white onion
8 oz.  cream cheese, softened
¼ c. sour cream
¼ c. mayonnaise
⅓ c. prepared horseradish
¼ tsp. ground white pepper
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¾ tsp. kosher salt
⅓ c. chopped green onion 

Directions:

1. Fry the bacon until crispy and remove from the pan. 
2. Add the diced onion and sauté until golden brown in the bacon fat. 
3. Allow the onions to cool. Finely chop up the bacon.
4. In a mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, horseradish, garlic powder, white pepper and salt with a wooden spoon. 
5. Mix in the bacon, green onion and caramelized onion.
6. Allow mixture to sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.  Overnight is even better. 
7. Serve with potato chips, crackers or fresh raw vegetables. Terhune recommends Carr’s crackers and baby carrots, celery or radishes.

Hot Wing Dip from JP Doiron, former chef at CH Distillery 

Ingredients:
16 oz. softened cream cheese 
1 c. ranch dressing
¾ c. hot sauce (preferably Crystal or Texas Pete's)
12 oz. grilled or seared chicken thighs, shredded or small dice
Shredded cheddar cheese, to taste (usually around 6-8oz) 

Directions:

1. With a standing mixer, whip cream cheese, ranch and hot sauce. Mix until smooth then fold in chicken.
2. Grease a pie pan then spread the mixture in the pan. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. 
3. Remove from the oven, add cheddar cheese and bake an additional 10–15 minutes.  
4. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve warm with tortilla chips or Fritos scoops.

Smoked Fish Dip from Alfredo Nogueira at Analogue

Ingredients:
1 lb. smoked fish (available at Whole Foods or Calumet fisheries)
½ c. sour cream
½ c. cream cheese (softened)
¼ c. of mayo
3 stalks celery, minced
4 green onions, minced
Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped 
2 tbsp. grainy mustard (Nogueira uses creole mustard)
½ c. minced dill pickles 
Zest and juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions:

1. Pick through the fish making sure there are no bones, while being careful to keep the fish pieces nice and flaky.
2. In a bowl, mix the sour cream, cream cheese and mayo together until well incorporated.
3. Add the celery, green onions, parsley, mustard, pickles, lemon juice and zest until well combined.
4. Gently fold in the fish so that you don't break down the flakes too much.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve with hot sauce, saltines and fresh veggies.

Beer Cheese Dip from Rockit Bar and Grill executive chef Amanda Downing 

Ingredients:
2 c. Merkt’s sharp cheddar
½ c. cream cheese, softened
½ c. yellow onions, diced
8 oz. wheat beer (Downing uses Goose Island 312)
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
½ tbsp. Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper
Pretzel bread, for serving

Directions:

1. In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, melt butter and add onions.
2. Cook onions until tender, add the flour and cook for 2–3 minutes.
3. Add beer and reduce by one third, remove from heat.
4. In a food processor, add the cream cheese and cheddar, begin to pulse to combine, slowly add the beer and onions mixture.
5. Season mixture by adding the mustard, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
6. Serve with warm pretzel bread.