Artichoke Dip

11 years ago - #appetizers#artichokes

I found a light version of this recipe in Cook's Illustrated many years ago. I made it with full fat ingredients and it came out great. This is always a high-demand item for parties. It's the sort of dish that people would station themselves near so they could guard it from everyone else having any.

The last time I served it, we ran out of pita chips, but we had left over hamburger buns. A guest made himself an artichoke dip sandwich. Though we all thought an artichoke dip sandwich was a disgusting thought, it didn't stop him from finishing it off.

The original recipe calls for roasting frozen artichokes. But if you live in NYC, go to Citarella's and get their grilled artichokes bottoms. Or if you live near an Italian deli or specialty store, they've probably got grilled artichokes.

Serves 10 to 12; Serve it with pita chips or some other strong and hearty cracker

DIP

  • 2 (9-ounce) boxes frozen artichokes (do not thaw)
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
  • Pinch cayenne pepper

TOPPING

  • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • Nonstick vegetable or olive oil spray

FOR THE DIP: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Toss the frozen artichokes with 1 teaspoon of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until evenly coated, and spread over the prepared baking sheet. Roast, rotating the baking sheet from front to back, until the artichokes are browned at the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the artichokes cool and chop coarse. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees.

Meanwhile, combine the onion, garlic, the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a lO-inch nonstick skillet. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the mayonnaise, cream cheese, Parmesan, lemon juice, thyme, and cayenne to the onion mixture and stir to combine, smearing any lumps of cream cheese against the side of the skillet to break them up. Gently fold in the chopped artichokes; season with salt and pepper to taste. Scrape the mixture into an ungreased 8-inch-square baking dish.

FOR THE TOPPING: Toss the breadcrumbs and Parmesan together in a medium bowl until combined and sprinkle evenly over the top of the dip. Spray the topping lightly with vegetable oil. Bake until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

WHERE THINGS CAN GO WRONG: It's important that the cream cheese be at room temperature, otherwise it will not mix well and distribute evenly. Also, the consistency of this dip is best when warm, so make sure it comes out of the oven just as your guests are starting to arrive.

WHAT YOU CAN DO AHEAD OF TIME: The dip can be prepared without the crumb topping and refrigerated, covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days. To bake, sprinkle the breadcrumb topping over the dip, spray with vegetable oil, and bake as directed. There is no need to increase the baking time.

blog comments powered by Disqus
Browse by Ingredient
Browse by Dish
It's Christmas in Rome. A little damp. A little empty. A wonderful day to stroll the city and visit churches.
On recent trip to Yuba City, CA, I took some time to take photos of Aunt Beth's garden and greenhouse. I should say - take photos of a small fraction of her garden and greenhouse. There are lots of vegetables, herbs, and fruit trees there - unfortunately, I was there a bit early in the season before the plants had a chance to get going. I was still able to get some good shots.