Skip to footer

A new twist for artichoke dip

Goat cheese, lemon, capers, and Greek yogurt stand in for mayonnaise in this artichoke spread. A food processor makes this simple savory spread a snap.

|
The Runaway Spoon
Frozen artichoke hearts that have not been marinated or brined work best for this recipe.

Creamy artichoke dip has long been a staple a parties and gatherings. Lots of mayonnaise and marinated artichoke hearts and gooey cheese. It has never been a favorite of mine, because it is so rich and always tastes more of mayonnaise than anything else. 

I set out to create a dish everyone would be intrigued by, but surprised to find it veered so from the classic. I’ve seen recipes pairing artichokes and goat cheese, but wanted to add a lot of tang to complement the artichokes. Goat cheese, lemon, capers, and yogurt give this spread body and zip, with the added herbs for layered flavors.

I prefer using frozen artichoke hearts that have not been marinated or brined to keep their flavor up front. This spread is so easy to prepare but gives such complex results it’s a real party trick. It is wonderful spread on toasted baguette slices, but it can be dipped with hearty chips. It’s good spread on a bagel, too.

Artichoke, goat cheese, and lemon spread

1 (14-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons fresh oregano

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

1 tablespoon capers in brine

Zest of 1 medium lemon

2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste

4 ounces soft goat cheese

6 ounces Greek yogurt

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook the artichoke hearts according to the package directions. Drain and leave to cool.

2. Place the artichoke hearts, garlic, herbs, and capers in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times to break everything up. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth and spreadable. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Scrape the spread into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to meld. Serve with toasted baguette slices or crackers.

You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.
Real news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.
What is the Monitor difference? Tackling the tough headlines – with humanity. Listening to sources – with respect. Seeing the story that others are missing by reporting what so often gets overlooked: the values that connect us. That’s Monitor reporting – news that changes how you see the world.
editor@csmonitor.com
Subscribe
Mark Sappenfield
Editor

Dear Reader,

About a year ago, I happened upon this statement about the Monitor in the Harvard Business Review – under the charming heading of “do things that don’t interest you”:

“Many things that end up” being meaningful, writes social scientist Joseph Grenny, “have come from conference workshops, articles, or online videos that began as a chore and ended with an insight. My work in Kenya, for example, was heavily influenced by a Christian Science Monitor article I had forced myself to read 10 years earlier. Sometimes, we call things ‘boring’ simply because they lie outside the box we are currently in.”

If you were to come up with a punchline to a joke about the Monitor, that would probably be it. We’re seen as being global, fair, insightful, and perhaps a bit too earnest. We’re the bran muffin of journalism.

But you know what? We change lives. And I’m going to argue that we change lives precisely because we force open that too-small box that most human beings think they live in.

The Monitor is a peculiar little publication that’s hard for the world to figure out. We’re run by a church, but we’re not only for church members and we’re not about converting people. We’re known as being fair even as the world becomes as polarized as at any time since the newspaper’s founding in 1908.

We have a mission beyond circulation, we want to bridge divides. We’re about kicking down the door of thought everywhere and saying, “You are bigger and more capable than you realize. And we can prove it.”

If you’re looking for bran muffin journalism, you can subscribe to the Monitor for $15. You’ll get the Monitor Weekly magazine, the Monitor Daily email, and unlimited access to CSMonitor.com.

Subscribe to insightful journalism

QR Code to A new twist for artichoke dip
Read this article in
https://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Food/Stir-It-Up/2014/0423/A-new-twist-for-artichoke-dip
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
https://www.csmonitor.com/subscribe