Mix a classic pesto with the flavors of spinach-artichoke dip and you get creamy, rich goodness.

The artichokes in this recipe are sautéed, adding warmth and a bit of caramelized flavor to the final dish. Great with bread, crackers or vegetables. 

See the variation at the end to transform the pesto into a layered, hot dip.
 

1, 14 oz. canned artichoke hearts (quartered work well)

3 tbs. olive oil, plus 1 tsp for sautéing artichoke hearts

Zest of one lemon

3 oz. fresh, baby spinach

4 oz. parmesan, cut into chunks

½ cup (2 oz.) blanched almonds

2 garlic cloves, peeled

Pepper to taste

Drain artichokes and place in a sauté pan with olive oil over medium to medium-high heat and sauté until edges become golden brown – about 10-15 minutes – towards the end of cooking, add the lemon zest.  Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, pulse the garlic, almonds and parmesan until fine, uniform crumbs. Add the artichokes to the processor and half of the spinach, pulse a few times, scrape down the sides, add the rest of the spinach and process until evenly combined and dip is uniform consistency. 

Serve immediately – leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator – they will become firmer, just allow to come to room temperature for serving.  Serves at least 8.

Pesto is also great tossed with warm pasta and leftover chicken or steamed shrimp. 

For an interesting twist on a hot artichoke dip try this variation – in the bottom of 6-8 inch soufflé dish, mix together ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 cup sour cream and 2 oz of grated parmesan cheese. Spread the top of this with 1 cup of the pesto mixture (recipe above yields 2 cups). Then, add a little extra grated cheese to the top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes until golden brown and bubbly on top.

Copyright 2010.