Liptauer by Joseph Wechsberg

Joseph Wechsberg was a journalist who introduced Austro-Hungarian food to America. That's an understatement! The NY Times published a great article about Wechsberg, food and music, Vienna ... on Februry 5, 2006.

Liptauer Cheese

• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon chopped capers
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• ½ cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 1 baguette, thinly sliced and toasted.

1. With the back of a spoon, press the cottage cheese through a fine sieve into a mixing bowl.

2. In a mixer fitted with a paddle, cream the butter on medium speed. Beat in the cottage cheese, paprika, a generous grinding of black pepper, the salt, caraway seeds, mustard, capers, onion and sour cream until it forms a smooth paste.

3. Spoon it into a 1 ½ -cup bowl lined with plastic wrap. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until set. Unmold onto a platter and sprinkle with chives. Serve with baguette slices or crackers.

/Makes 1 ½ cups./

NOTE: To make a Liptauer dip, stir an extra ¼ cup sour cream into the paste. Pour into a serving bowl and sprinkle with chives. Serve with crudites.