007 Layer Dip

Anyone else obsessed with James Bond? Anyone? 

I feel like I don’t meet many females around my age that have gotten into the series. A lot of the guys that I’ve met have seen them. My mom is obsessed with Connery, so she’s definitely seen his. (She told me today she was watching Moonraker last weekend — even though, heaven for bid, that’s a Roger Moore film.) But I’m here to encourage you, ladies in their late twenties and early thirties, to give it a chance. Not even just my demographic, but everyone out there. I think that it’s a versatile set of films and here’s what it has to offer.

007 Layer Dip

Men. Do you like those? Some of you might. I do. James Bond has always been classically handsome, fit, suave and quite frankly, a bad ass. If nothing else, it’s a couple hours of eye candy.

Class. This is a huge one … especially in the older films. There is nothing classier than James Bond or one of his ladies. They ooze sophistication and class. The older films are a beautiful representation of something that is far too lost on our generation. A good vintage, a tailored ensemble, a stylish car, a round of baccarat … all things that we can admire and learn from.

Style. Sure, the Bond Girls are known for being seductive and, when around James, whorish. But you can’t deny their style. The wardrobe for these characters cannot be ignored … certainly not by James. Whether you take inspiration for your next outfit or just admire the aesthetics of the Bond girl, it ends up being a very pleasing aspect of the films.

Romance. There’s actually very little of this. I won’t lie. But there are two instances that rock my fucking socks off. I don’t want to spoil the movies since I’m trying to get you to watch them … but if you’re into romantic storylines, check out On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (with my favorite Bond) and Casino Royale (with my second favorite Bond).

If none of that interests you … then there’s always the fighting, action and chase scenes. But I have a feeling that you all aren’t unaware of their existence.

If nothing else, you can at least put one on while you eat this recipe. I may be asking you to watch the movies, I’m telling you to make this recipe. It’s incredible. And it’s in honor of the newest in the series, Spectre, which will be out in theaters tomorrow (Friday, November 6th).

You know seven layer dip. I just James Bond-ified it … fancy-ass replacements for all of the ingredients. Ground beef? Try sirloin, seared in white truffle oil. Sour cream? Crème fraiche. Refried beans? Olive tapenade. You get the gist.

Just make sure not to shake it OR stir it.

Editor’s Note: Below is the recipe as it appeared on Hobotrashcan.com.

007 Layer Dip
¾ cup black olives, pitted
¾ cup green olives, pitted
3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
juice and zest of half a lemon
1 cup crème fraiche
1 cup tomato artichoke jam, store-bought or recipe here
6 oz brie
1 avocado
2 tbsp sesame seeds
8 oz cut of steak, sirloin
2 tbsp white truffle oil
salt and pepper
1 leaf of endive, thinly julienned
melba toasts

In a food processor, pulse together olives, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice and zest until you get a coarse mixture. Set aside.

Slice brie so it is slightly smaller than the melba toast. Set aside.

Cut the avocado into pieces slightly smaller than the brie. Place in a bowl and toss with salt and sesame seeds. Set aside.

Heat a heavy skillet over high heat. When hot, coat the pan with white truffle oil. Liberally salt and pepper the steak (both sides) and place into the hot skillet. Cook 3 – 5 minutes per side (depending on the thickness of your steak) for a medium rare piece of meat. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Then cut into small chunks.

Meanwhile, in the same hot skillet, drop in the sesame-coated avocado pieces. Turn frequently and cook a few minutes until they have browned. Return to the bowl.

At this point, you have a choice. You can either layer the ingredients in a dish so hungry people can scoop or you can put a tiny amount of each on a toast for an easily grabable appetizer/snack. Regardless, the order should be the following: olive tapenade, tomato jam, crème fraiche, brie, steak, avocado, endive

The hot steak will melt the brie some. The endive really acts as more of a garnish than an actual flavor or texture component.

Serve with a Vesper. Don’t look back.