Artichoke Spinach Dip
My Aunt Susan gave me an incredible recipe for artichoke dip a few years ago when we were visiting relatives in Richvale, California. I had a craving for it this week, but couldn’t find the recipe. After making this dip I was putting some things away in the study and I miraculously found Susan’s recipe! Life is funny that way.
This recipe is more complicated and time consuming than Susan’s, so when I need a quick dinner party appetizer I will definitely be making hers. This recipe makes A TON of dip, has a fresher flavor than the mayo based artichoke dips a lot of people make, and re-heats really well. This would make a great addition to a Christmas party buffet, and if you have more than one to attend you could divide the dip between 2 dishes, bring one to one party, keep the other in the fridge and use it later! I do not think they would freeze well, but you could give it a try. Let me know how that goes.
I loved the big, yummy chunks of artichoke in this dip and the use of fresh instead of frozen spinach makes for a better flavor. The vegetables in the dip make me feel as if I am eating something somewhat healthy. However, this dip is really not too terrible for you, or so it seems by the ingredient list. Milk, I used 2 %, and just 1 cup of cheese total…but then there’s the vegetable oil. Oh well. It’s yummy. I served this dip with tortilla chips, but it would be good with pita chips or some whole wheat crackers.
Artichoke and Spinach Dip (courtesy of Emeril)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- Salt
- Cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (about 2 ounces)
- 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack (about 2 ounces)
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1 (10-ounce) bag fresh spinach, stemmed, rinsed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 2 (15-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained and julienned
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Combine 1/4 cup of the vegetable oil and flour in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir the mixture constantly 5 to 6 minutes for a blond roux. Whisk in the milk and bring the liquid up to a boil. Season the liquid with salt and cayenne. Simmer the liquid for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the liquid is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the cheeses. Set the sauce aside.
- In a saute pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in handfuls of spinach at a time, until all the spinach is incorporated. Add the garlic and artichoke and saute for 2 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt and cayenne. Remove the vegetables from the heat and turn into a mixing bowl. Fold the cheese sauce into the vegetables. Turn the mixture into a baking pan. Bake the dip for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
- Serve with tortilla chips, pita chips or crackers.
suzi
April 28, 2015 @ 8:00 pm
try using light tasting olive oil instead of veggie oil way better for ya 🙂