Artichoke dip

The Story

Artichoke dip is one of those kinds of recipes you learn from your mom who got the recipe from a friend of a friend or a family member. And for me, that is exactly the case. My mom isn’t big into cooking, but she did, indeed, teach me how to make this. As she tells it, she got the recipe from the wife of the man who was the best man in their wedding who my parents no longer talk to.

All I can say is, thank you, Patty.

Because as simple as this recipe is, everyone who tries it always loves it. Whether it be in the U.S. or here, in Barcelona, people of all ages and backgrounds love this artichoke dip. And it’s not really that hard to figure out why. Melty cheese, tangy artichokes, creamy dip…it ticks all the comfort food boxes to a tee. Serve it with some Stacy’s pita chips or smear on your favorite crusty bread like mine from Origo bakery and you can’t ask for much more. Fill out the table with some other dishes to pick on like deviled eggs, some cute toasts like my cheesy tomato and fried egg toast, or smoky vegetables escalivada toast, some olives, cheese, and charcuterie and you’ve got the best “girl dinner” ever (I hate that term but if we go with the idea that it’s the concept of full-on snacking for dinner regardless of the portion size, then I’m okay with it).

Difficulty: 1 on a scale of 1-5

Active time to prepare: 15 minutes

Total time to prepare: 50 minutes (includes baking and cooling time)

Serves: 6 - 8 people depending on how many other dishes you are serving.

The Ingredients

For the artichoke dip:

3 tablespoons/39 g extra virgin olive oil

1 onion finely chopped

4 garlic cloves minced

1 14 oz./400 g jar of artichokes packed in oil

1/2 cup/110 g mayo

1/2 cup/110 g sour cream

1 Tbsp./3 g lemon zest

1.5 cups/170 g grated parm

Salt and pepper to taste

OPTIONAL: 2 sprigs thyme minced and/or 1 tsp./1 g red chili flakes (or your chili of choice like Aleppo, gochugaru, even chili crunch, etc.).

For the assembly:

Something for dipping such as sliced crusty bread, dense rye bread, pita chips, tortilla chips, crudité, etc.

The Recipe

For the artichoke dip:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° C/175° F, and place a rack in the middle of the oven.

2. In a medium sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

3. Add the onions and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and translucent (9 - 12 minutes approx.). Set aside to cool slightly.

   *NOTE: If you choose to add thyme or some kind of chili flakes, add them for the last couple of minutes of cooking so they have a chance to release their flavor.

4. Drain the artichokes and gently press them with your hands to remove some of the excess moisture.

5. Roughly chop the artichokes and add them to a mixing bowl with the cooked onions and garlic.

6. Add the mayo, sour cream, lemon zest, and 1 1/4 cup/141 g of the parm.

   *NOTE: Reserve the last 1/4 cup/28 g of parm to sprinkle over the top.

7. Mix until thoroughly combined. Taste for seasoning.

8. Place the mixture in a 9 x 13 in/23 x 35 cm baking dish and sprinkle with the reserved parm. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.

9. Remove the foil, turn your broiler on, and cook until the top is browned (3 - 5 minutes approx.).

For the assembly:

1. Let the artichoke dip cool for 10 minutes before eating.

2. Serve alongside your choice of dippers!

DO AHEAD: The mixture can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To serve, put it in a baking dish, sprinkle with parm, and bake.

LEFTOVERS: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator. Reheat in a 350° C/175° F oven or in the microwave until the cheese is melted.