The artichoke is one of the snobbiest and beautiful veggies in all the vegetable kingdom, especially after this recipe… Artichoke Dip.
Isn’t she gorgeous?
Artichoke Dip
Serves 8 for appetizers or 4 for dinner.
- 4 large artichokes
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon, juiced (divided)
- 4 ounces cubetti pancetta or pre-cooked large bacon bits (leave out for pescatarian and vegetarian options)
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 8 ounces white cheddar cheese, grated
- 6 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano or parmesan cheese, grated
- 6-8 ounces artichoke hearts marinated in oil, drained and then minced or processed
- 3 tablespoons yellow onion, minced
- 4 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse pepper
Prepping Artichokes
- Hold artichokes on their side. Trim a little bit of the end off and peel the stems.
- Cut off about 1 inch across the top of the artichokes.
- Remove the bottom row of leaves and discard.
- Using kitchen shears, trim the thorns ( pointy tops of the leaves) and discard.
- Cut the artichoke in half from top to bottom.
- Carefully pull out the small middle leaves (they’re very spiky and usually purple) and the choke (the furry part). A grapefruit spoon is great for removing the fur while keeping the choke (the part right under the furry part) intact. A regular spoon will work too, but grapefruit spoons make the process easier.
- Rinse the artichokes to clean off any dirt or furry pieces.
- Use 1/8 cup of lemon juice to rub all trimmed leaf edges with lemon to help keep them from browning.
Steaming the Artichokes
- Place the artichokes in a steaming basket (or sifting pan, stainless-steel colander, or sieve). A snug fit in the steaming basket is best so they don’t float around during the cooking process.
- Fill a large pot with about 2/3 of water.
- Place the steaming basket over a pot of water and cover it with the steamer lid. If using something like a sieve, cover with the lid to the pot.
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 50 minutes or until an outer leaf comes out easily with tongs.
Preparing the Dip
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pan fry the cubetti pancetta until it is golden brown.
- Place mayonnaise, cheddar, parmesan, minced artichoke hearts, minced garlic, minced onion, pan-fried cubetti pancetta, the remaining 1/8 cup fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix well with a stand or hand mixer.
Baking the Dip
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spread the filling evenly into a small baking dish.
- Bake the filling in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until it is hot and bubbly.
Serving & Eating the Artichokes
If you like, you can divide the dip between the artichokes and serve together, or you place the artichokes leaves side up on a large round tray and place the dip in a round bowl in the middle.
If entertaining guests, you can sprinkle the dip with cubetti pancetta for added beauty.
To eat, pull a leaf from the artichoke, scoop the inside bottom of the leaf into the dip. Hold the top part of the leaf while gliding top teeth on the leaf to eat the bottom inside of the leaf and the dip. Discard the remainder of the leaf.
You can eat the stems and the circular area inside the artichoke which is attached to the stem is the artichoke heart (the part that was directly under the fur we removed while preparing them). The hearts are the very best part… your reward after enjoying your artichoke dip if you will.