The Best Spinach Artichoke Dip Ever

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 4 Tablespoons Garlic, Minced
• 1 bag Spinach
•  Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 2 cans Artichoke Hearts, Rinsed And Drained
• 3 Tablespoons Butter (additional)
• 3 Tablespoons Flour
• 1-1/2 cup Whole Milk (more If Needed)
• 1 package (8 Ounce) Softened Cream Cheese
• 1/2 cup Crumbled Feta
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan
• 3/4 cups Grated Pepper Jack Cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne
•  Extra Grated Pepper Jack
•  Pita Wedges, Tortilla Chips, Crackers

Preparation Instructions

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Crank up the heat a bit and throw in the spinach. Stir around and cook for a couple of minutes until the spinach wilts. Remove the spinach from the skillet and put it in a small strainer. Squeeze the excess juice back into the skillet. Set the spinach aside.

Throw in the artichokes and cook over medium high heat for several minutes, until liquid is cooked off and artichokes start to get a little color. Remove the artichokes.

In the same skillet or a different pot, melt 3 additional tablespoons of butter and whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour until it makes a paste. Cook over medium-low heat for a minute or two, then pour in milk. Stir and cook until slightly thickened; splash in more milk if needed.

Add cream cheese, feta, Parmesan, pepper jack, and cayenne and stir until cheese are melted and sauce is smooth. Chop artichokes and spinach and add to the sauce. Stir to combine.

Pour into buttered baking dish. Top with extra grated pepper jack and bake at 375 for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with pita wedges, chips, or crackers! 

Recipe found at: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/06/the-best-spinach-artichoke-dip-ever/

Artichoke and Mushroom Frittata

Ingredients

• 4 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil (divided)
• 8 artichokes (baby, trimmed halved)
• 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 6 eggs
• 4 tbsps sharp cheddar cheese (coarsely grated, divided)
• 4 ozs crimini (fresh, baby bella mushrooms thinly sliced 

Directions

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add artichokes to skillet; sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté until beginning to brown around edges, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until artichokes are tender when base is pierced with small sharp knife, about 10 minutes. Uncover and boil until any liquid remaining in skillet evaporates. Remove from heat.
• Preheat broiler. Whisk eggs and 2 tablespoons cheese in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in medium nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until browned, about 5 minutes. Pat artichokes dry; add to skillet and stir 2 minutes. Add eggs; stir to blend. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until eggs are almost set, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons cheese.
• Transfer frittata to broiler. Broil just until set in center, about 1 minute. Using rubber spatula, loosen edges of frittata and slide out onto platter. Serve warm or at room temperature
•  

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Artichoke-and-Mushroom-Frittata-241856#ixzz2EmJT8K28

Raw Artichoke Salad with Parmesan and Mint

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. baby artichokes (about 20)
2 lemons, halved
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup baby arugula
1/4 cup torn mint leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 oz. parmesan, shaved thin with a peeler

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Trim away tough outer leaves of the artichokes to expose their tender pale green interior. Using a serrated-blade knife, cut off the spiky top third of the artichokes. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer layers around the base and stem. Squeeze 1 lemon into a bowl filled with cold water and submerge artichokes in the water.

2. Drain artichokes and pat dry with paper towels. Using a mandoline or a chef's knife, cut the artichokes into thin slices and transfer to medium bowl. Squeeze remaining lemon and the oil over the artichokes; toss to coat. Add arugula and mint and season with salt and pepper; toss gently. Garnish salad with parmesan shavings. 

Recipe found at: http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Raw-Artichoke-Salad-with-Parmesan-and-Mint

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

• 1 cup thawed, chopped frozen spinach
• 11/2 cups thawed, chopped frozen artichoke hearts
• 6 ounces cream cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Boil spinach and artichokes in 1 cup of water until tender and drain. Discard liquid. Heat cream cheese in microwave for 1 minute or until hot and soft. Stir in rest of ingredients and serve hot. 

Recipe found at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/hot-spinach-and-artichoke-dip-recipe/index.html

Lemon Mint Braised Artichokes

Ingredients

2 lemons, halved

8 large artichokes with long stems

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 cups water

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 tablespoons chopped mint, divided

3 garlic cloves, minced

Preparation

• Squeeze 2 lemon halves into a large bowl of cold water.
• Cut off top inch of 1 artichoke and bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base (keep stem attached). Discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until you reach pale yellow leaves.
• Cut off remaining leaves 1/2 inch above top of artichoke base using a sharp knife, then pull out purple leaves and scoop out fuzzy choke with a melon-ball cutter. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and side of artichoke.
• Trim a thin slice from stem end, then trim side of stem down to pale green inner core. Rub cut surfaces with lemon halves, then put artichokes in lemon water.
• Trim remaining artichokes in same manner.
• Combine lemon juice, water (3 cups), oil, 3 tablespoons mint, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt in a 4-to 5-quarts heavy pot (wide enough to hold artichokes in 1 layer with stems pointing upward) and bring to a simmer.
• Stand artichokes, stem ends up, in liquid and cover with a round of parchment paper. Simmer, covered with parchment and lid, until just tender when artichoke bottom is pierced with a knife, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Transfer artichokes with a slotted spoon to a shallow serving dish. Boil cooking liquid until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 20 minutes. During last 2 minutes of boiling, whisk liquid until it emulsifies. Pour over artichokes and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons mint.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lemon-Mint-Braised-Artichokes-352323#ixzz28vYcHavU

Simple Roasted Artichokes Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 whole large artichokes
• 2 lemons, halved
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

Preparation:

Using a serrated knife, cut off the stem of the artichoke where it meets the base. Turn the artichoke around and cut off 1-inch of the top. Quickly rub each artichoke with a cut lemon so they don't discolor.

Tear off 4 large square pieces of heavy-duty foil. Rub a few drops of olive oil on the foil and place an artichoke stem side down. Stick a clove of garlic into the center and push down an inch or so. Sprinkle over 1/4 tsp of salt. Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over the top. Finish by squeezing the half lemon over the top. The lemon juice will "wash" the salt and olive down in between the leaves. Gather up the corners of the foil and press together on top to tightly seal the artichoke (like a chocolate kiss). You can wrap in a second piece of foil if you don't think you have a tight enough seal.

Repeat with the other artichokes. Place in a roasting pan and bake at 425 degrees F. for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before unwrapping and serving. Can be eaten hot, warm, or chilled.

 

Recipes found at: http://americanfood.about.com/od/vegetabledishes/r/Roast_Artichokes_Recipe.htm

How to Cook and Eat an Artichoke

How to Cook and Eat an Artichoke

1. If the artichokes have little thorns on the end of the leaves, take a kitchen scissors and cut of the thorned tips of all of the leaves. This step is mostly for aesthetics as the thorns soften with cooking and pose no threat to the person eating the artichoke.

2. Slice about 3/4 inch to an inch off the tip of the artichoke.

3. Pull off any smaller leaves towards the base and on the stem.

4. Cut excess stem, leaving up to an inch on the artichoke. The stems tend to be more bitter than the rest of the artichoke, but some people like to eat them. Alternatively you can cut off the stems and peel the outside layers which is more fibrous and bitter and cook the stems along with the artichokes.

5. Rinse the artichokes in running cold water.


6. In a large pot, put a couple inches of water, a clove of garlic, a slice of lemon, and a bay leaf (this adds wonderful flavor to the artichokes). Insert a steaming basket. Add the artichokes. Cover. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 25 to 45 minutes or until the outer leaves can easily be pulled off. Note: artichokes can also be cooked in a pressure cooker (about 15-20 minutes cooking time). Cooking time depends on how large the artichoke is, the larger, the longer it takes to cook.

How to Eat an Artichoke

Artichokes may be eaten cold or hot, but I think they are much better hot. They are served with a dip, either melted butter or mayonaise. My favorite dip is mayo with a little bit of balsamic vinegar mixed in.
1. Pull off outer petals, one at a time.

2. Dip white fleshy end in melted butter or sauce. Tightly grip the other end of the petal. Place in mouth, dip side down, and pull through teeth to remove soft, pulpy, delicious portion of the petal. Discard remaining petal.

Continue until all of the petals are removed.

3. With a knife or spoon, scrape out and discard the inedible fuzzy part (called the "choke") covering the artichoke heart. The remaining bottom of the artichoke is the heart. Cut into pieces and dip into sauce to eat.