HOUSE-MARINATED ARTICHOKE HEARTS WITH HOT + MELTY CHEESE DIP

Artichokes amaze. They look almost prehistoric with their tough green skins, prickly heads and spiky stalks, and yet their flavor is so mild and earthy. More than once, I’ve imagined standing in a flowering field of them, nose level to purple blossoms that stretch as far as the eye can see. But that’s pure fantasy, because although artichokes are actually flowers in the thistle family, we harvest and eat them before they bloom, benefitting from antioxidant levels that make them a superfood. Next to beans, the USDA has ranked artichokes as the number one vegetable in antioxidant count, with close to 8,000 total antioxidants per cup. Artichokes are also low in calories, and high in fiber, vitamins C and K, potassium and magnesium.

After learning that the commercial preservation techniques used to make marinated artichokes shelf stable for stores can diminish some of these health benefits, I started poaching and marinating them from fresh at home. The process takes a bit of time, but this recipe, adapted from chef Amanda Freitag, yields beautifully tender, not-too-pickle-y results. The finished marinated heart pieces taste delicious added to salads, pasta dishes and pizzas. And we especially love them in our hot and melty cheese dip, also included here.

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YIELD: 1 QUART MARINATED ARTICHOKE HEART PIECES; DIP RECIPE SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MARINATED ARTICHOKES

• 6 lemons, washed well and halved
• 8 large fresh artichokes
• 3 Tbsp kosher salt
• 2 whole heads garlic, halved through the center of the cloves
• 1 bunch fresh thyme
• 1 bunch fresh tarragon
• 1 cup white wine
• 3 cups olive oil plus 2 Tbsp.

FOR THE HOT & MELTY ARTICHOKE CHEESE DIP

• 1 ½ cups marinated artichoke hearts from recipe above
• 1 cup medium-grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 2 cups coarsely grated Jarlsberg Light cheese
• ½ cup avocado mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp white wine
• 1 ½ Tbsp Grey Poupon mustard

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INSTRUCTIONS

CLEAN AND TRIM: Fill a large enameled Dutch oven with cold water and the juice from three of the lemons. Place this on your work surface. Using a very sharp knife and great care, trim off and discard the top 1 ½-inch of each artichoke. Chop off the bottom of the stem and pull off and discard the bottom leaves. You will now have a flat top on each artichoke with the center purple “choke” exposed. Snip off the spikes at the tip of each leaf making the artichokes easier to handle. Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise from top to stem. Cut each half into quarters, and then into eighths. Under cold running water, dig out the feathery “choke” from the center of each piece, rinsing well until all the feathery bits and some of the loose purple spikey petals have rinsed away. Flip each piece over and trim off the leaves until you are left with the white artichoke heart with just a bit of remaining purple petal at the top. Immediately place each in the pot of lemon water. Continue until you have placed all of the artichoke heart pieces into the lemon water.

POACH: Add enough water to ensure the artichokes are covered. Add the 3 Tbsp of kosher salt. Place Dutch oven over medium heat and simmer for 20 minutes until hearts are quite tender. Pour contents of pot into a colander to strain off water. Cool. Slice tender hearts into equally sized wedges and place into a large bowl. Set aside.

PREPARE MARINADE: Return Dutch oven back on stove top. Add 2 Tbsp of the olive oil to the pot. Turn heat to medium-low. Place halved garlic heads in the pot, cut side down, and cook until seared to a golden brown, about 4 minutes. Squeeze the juice from the remaining three lemons into the pot and add the squeezed lemons. Add the wine and the herbs. Increase heat to high and boil until liquid has reduced by half; about five minutes. Add the remaining three cups of olive oil to the marinade and bring back to a boil. Turn off heat. Pour hot marinade, lemons and garlic over the artichokes in the large bowl. Transfer to canning jars or an airtight container. Once cooled for an hour, refrigerate. Marinated artichoke hearts will keep in the fridge for 10 days.

MAKE THE DIP: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend mayo with white wine and Dijon mustard. Set aside. In an oven-able small casserole dish, combine cheeses with artichoke heart pieces. Stir in mayo/wine/mustard mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until browned at the edges and hot and bubbly. Serve hot with toast points or crackers.