I am so thrilled Grace invited me to do another “in the kitchen with” post. Thanks so much everyone for all of your kind words and enthusiasm the last time!
The weather here in New York has turned wonderfully warm and sunny lately, and all of my thoughts have turned away from winter and toward the spring and summer. I so appreciate the vegetables and herbs appearing in abundance at the markets. In my semi-outdoor space I’ve planted all sorts of herbs: tarragon, thyme, sage, Italian parsley, mint, chives, chervil, basil and oregano, to name a few! I love having fresh herbs on command and avoiding inevitable waste that comes with buying them from the supermarket. Recently, I had a brunch party and used beautiful herb seed packets to decorate the table. Herbs in vintage bottles are also nice. Both celebrate the change of season and are a fresh alternative to flowers. Artichokes have also returned, and we have been eating them all different ways. My favorite preparation is the simplest: steamed with a great dipping sauce; but another standby is an easy artichoke casserole that is quick to make and serves many. The trick is to use frozen artichoke hearts. They require far less effort than preparing your own and are just as wonderful. Trader Joe’s sells a very nice package. Enjoy! -Sabra Krock {Click here for Sabra’s work and here for Sabra’s blog}
CLICK HERE for the full recipe after the jump!
Artichoke casserole
(serves 6)
1 pound frozen artichoke hearts
1 3/4 cups whole milk
1 3/4 cups aged Fontina cheese, freshly grated
1/2 cup fresh ricotta
1 1/2 cups fresh spinach, julienned
1 leek, white and light green parts only, well washed and cut into rounds
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
3 Tbs fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
3 Tbs fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tbs all purpose flour
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp good sea salt (plus more to taste)
Olive oil
Pre-heat oven to 350˚ F. Cook artichokes according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat a few tablespoons of oil in a heavy-bottomed sauté pan and sauté leeks until translucent. Drain water from artichokes and add artichokes, salt and pepper to pan and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add herbs, and sauté for 30 seconds. Add milk and flour, mix well and simmer for ~10 minutes until mixture thickens a bit and flavors are infused throughout. Slowly add a few tablespoons of the hot milk mixture to the lightly beaten egg in a separate bowl to temper the egg. Remove pan from heat. Add the egg mixture to the pan, followed by the spinach and the cheeses. Stir until cheese melts and ingredients are well combined. Add additional salt and pepper if desired. Pour into a 7×10 casserole dish. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes or until casserole is set (check after 35 minutes). Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley.
27 Comments
Such lovely ideas!
Beautifully styled and photographed post– Love It!
sounds delish! can’t wait to try this recipe!
I love to eat them… always intimidated to prepare them though! Maybe this will get me to try…
this looks soooo delicious. I’m making it asap.
This looks lovely–so springy. And nice tip on using frozen artichoke hearts!
Mmmmmmm. I’m making this dish this weekend!
Oo.. I’ll have to try this with some artichokes from Castroville, Artichoke Capital USA, which is just a few towns to the north. Acres and acres of artichokes! The choice of cheese and herbs sound like a magical combination. Thank you!
awesome planter! what’s the little citrus tree called?
The photography is breathtaking… I can’t wait to try the recipe, it sounds delicious… great idea with the decorations too!
mmmmmm!
The casserole sounds very yummy! Can you tell us about the planter in the last picture with the citrus tree? I love that little habitat!
looks too gorgeous to eat! this is perfect, we’re having a mother’s day brunch for our families and this will be perfect.
thanks!
Absolutely amazing photos. The recipe
sounds fabulous! Your talents as a cook, photographer, food stager, stylist and writer are wonderful. Keep up the good work! I’ll be looking for you on the Food Network!
artichokes are my favorite…i’m definitely going to have to try this out!
I can’t get fresh or frozen artichokes over here in the wild tropics, would any one think a jar of marinated artichokes could be substituted?
I have never tried fresh artichokes and don’t know how similar they are to marinated.
OMG, that white casserole dish is GORGEOUS!! Where is it from?!
The seed packets with the herbs in the little vases are my favorite part…and the golashes…and maybe the cutting shears. (know where I can buy a good pair of shears?) Very quaint and actually so simple. Just never thought of it.
thanks!
I was browsing for shopping list inspirations and you have done it for me…. now to invite some friends over for a alfresco evening!
Thanks for doing a second spot!
Sabra, will you adopt me?
xoxo
very nice styling from the photography to the background on your site. keep the good work rolling !
I made this last night, it was great! Thanks for posting.
I was reading this post, loving the photos and loving the idea of artichokes (my favourite veg), and then suddenly saw one of my tea towels in the shot! Wow, what a thrill! Love Sabra’s work. xx
Russell’s Cardoon Recipe, upstairs Chef at Chez Panisse and now Camino, Oakland) serves a yummy and satisfying cardoon salad! A little well known and sometimes difficult to get vegetable, it is the stalk of an artichoke type plant! These grow to a few feet in height, are considered a weed but the tops are quite beautiful when they flower..
Hi everyone! Thanks so much for all the comments : )
A few answers:
Planter: it’s a zinc planter designed for our space
Casserole dish: Revol
Citrus tree: it’s a calamondin orange tree. It’s available online as well as at plant stores in chinatown.
Thanks again!
This seems like just the thing to make tonight and probably much healthier than my husband’s addictive deep fried artichoke hearts! They are so tasty, yet I fear for my arteries…
What a unique and EASY recipe. I can’t wait to try it out at my next garden party (or for dinner for myself!!!)
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