Spinach-Artichoke Dip: The Recipe

Check out this recipe on my new and improved website: thewalkingcookbook.com

Question: How do you become the favorite person at a party?
Answer: Bring Spinach-Artichoke Dip that people finish before the bottle of wine. This is fact.*
*It's not actually fact except in my own brain.

The beauty of a good Spinach-Artichoke Dip is that it brings people together: wallflowers, socialites, dancers, the DJ, and even the snoggers in the corner come to the snack table to snag a bite of the hot, creamy, convince-yourself-it-might-be-healthy-because-there-are-two-green-veggies-in-it appetizer. At a dinner party, bringing folks together is even easier because everyone is already around the table (and there aren't snoggers in the corner). But some Spinach-Artichoke Dip sure doesn't hurt.

I chose to make Wolfgang Puck's version of dip, but I simplified the ingredients a bit for people who prefer not to go out of their way to find marscapone cheese and creme fraiche. Wolfgang Puck is a highly regarded as an Austrian-born, French-trained, California-inspired chef, and I trust him to put out a tasty recipe... even if it involves an entire cup of mayonnaise. (I can guarantee that my brother just stopped reading). My version of this recipe is also gluten free (until I dip loads of bread into it!).

I'll serve this as an app with various dippables: bread, crackers, and maybe some crudites (a fancy word for pieces of raw veggies). For the main course I'll cook up some shrimp and quinoa, and we'll finish it up with homemade pumpkin ice cream!

Unless your dipping device is crispy and sturdy,
I recommend a knife or spoon to avoid spills and wasted dip

The Recipe: Spinach Artichoke Dip, adapted from Wolfgang Puck
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:

• 3 bunches spinach, washed and stems removed
• 10 oz. package of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
• 1 head garlic
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup cream cheese
• 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt plus 1 tbsp heavy cream
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp goat cheese
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika

Preparation:

• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Cut the top off of the head of garlic so the cloves are barely visible.
• Drizzle olive oil on top and wrap in foil.
• Place on the top rack of the oven for about 30-35 minutes, until the garlic feels soft. Remove and let cool for five minutes before unwrapping and popping out 4 garlic cloves. Reduce the oven to 350°F.
• While the garlic is roasting, blanch the spinach, one bunch at a time. In a large metal sieve, dunk the spinach in a large pot of boiling water for 1 minute. Remove and dunk into ice water for 30 seconds. Drain and set aside until all spinach has been blanched.
• Place artichoke hearts in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
• Add mayonnaise, cream cheese, greek yogurt, heavy cream, 1/4 cup parmesan, goat cheese, 4 roasted garlic cloves, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Process until combined (about 5 seconds).
• Add the spinach and pulse until well blended but still with texture (4-5 pulses).
• Spoon the dip into a shallow ovenproof dish.
• Mix the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan and paprika. Spread across the top of the dip.
• Place the dish in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until hot throughout with a golden brown top.
• Serve hot with crackers, bread, or crudites.

Time to memorize: 2 days (eek... indecisiveness!)