Artichoke & Olive Dip

I like having a large list of quick and easy appetizer recipes on hand for party planning. No stress and not a lot of work makes entertaining effortless (except for cleaning the house. Ha!) This artichoke& olive dip is a perfect example. A few high-quality ingredients pulsed together in the food processor and...just like that...the perfect addition to your party platter.

Most artichoke dips are full of cheese, sour cream and cream cheese. Delicious but so, so rich. This recipe contains artichoke hearts, green olives, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, shallots, and spices. You will be amazed at how these simple ingredients produce such amazing flavor. I am making a double batch for this Sunday's Big Game. You should do this same! So, Carolina or Denver?

Artichoke & Olive Dip
(makes two cups)

1 16 oz can artichoke hearts, rinsed & drained
1 clove garlic
1 shallot
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup green olives (pitted)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced

To the bowl of a food processor, add the artichoke hearts, garlic, shallot and olive oil. Process until smooth. Add green olives and red pepper flakes. Pulse until olives are chopped. Stir in sea salt and black pepper.

Scrape into medium sized bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours or a maximum of 24 hours.

When ready to serve, stir in parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve with crackers, a crudité platter, tortilla chips or spread on toast points.
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Additional Dips to serve this weekend:

• guacamole
• spicy pico di gallo
• triple onion dip with caramelized walla wallas
• spicy roasted red pepper dip

It is Dips For The Big Game week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast roundup. Do you have a favorite dip recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network. 

Feed Me Phoebe: Healthy French Onion Dip with Leeks and Shallots
The Heritage Cook: Chipotle Black Bean Dip
Creative Culinary: Kahlua, Walnut and Brown Sugar Baked Brie
Dishing with Divya: Boiled Peanuts Hummus
TasteBook: Everything Bagel Dip
In Jennie's Kitchen: Hummus, 4 Ways
The Mediterranean Dish: 11 Game-Day Recipes with a Mediterranean Twist
Dishin & Dishes: Individual Nachos with Pico De Gallo
The Mom 100: Warm Jalapeno Popper Dip
Healthy Eats: 5 Lower-Fat Dips for Game Day
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Artichoke & Olive Dip
Red or Green: BBQ Dip With Roasted Vegetables
Taste with the Eyes: Favorite Dish on the Super Bowl Buffet, Guaranteed
FN Dish: 6 Game-Day Favorites That Are Even Better As Dips

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove

napa farmhouse 1885

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Chicken with Spinach & Artichoke Dip Sauce

Sometimes the best recipes are happy accidents. Sometimes, when experimenting with leftovers, you create a new dish even better than the original. This tender and creamy Chicken with Spinach & Artichoke Dip Sauce is a perfect example.

Some of my girlfriends and I are starting a "Salon", a version of a book club. My talented friend and author, Lili, suggested the name as an homage to the writers and artist salons held here in Taos in the 1920's and 30's. Creatives from the East Coast discovered Taos and the tradition was born. We differ from a more typical book club in that there is a greater emphasis on discussion versus reading. (In fact, while everyone is encouraged to read the monthly book selection, the only requirement is the hostess. Other members can listen to podcasts, read reviews or simply listen and join in the discussion. We also plan to have guest speakers when possible). O.K. you ask. Sounds good but what does this have to do with the chicken recipe?

I hosted the first event and, as always, made way too much food. It had been an appetizer party so dips, spreads, vegetables, crackers, bread, chicken wings, cheese, olives and roasted  buffalo style cauliflower (recipe to be shared soon) were stacked in my refrigerator. I looked at a bowl of leftover spinach & artichoke dip, as well as a large packet of chicken legs from the freezer, and voilà!...the dish was born.

This recipe is a breeze if you have the dip on hand. You simply spread the dip over the chicken to coat, top with olive oil and seasonings and bake. Topped with some grated cheese at the end, this tastes like you spent all day prepping. So not true. If you don't have leftover dip, I am including links to two recipe options. Both are easy and delicious. Hint..make the dip, save half for the chicken, and enjoy the rest with chips, crackers, crostini and/or vegetables. You do not need to wait for a party...treat yourself once in a while.  Enjoy!

Spinach & Artichoke Dip Chicken
(serves 6)

12 chicken legs (organic if you can)

1/2 recipe prepared spinach & artichoke dip ** see note

extra virgin olive oil

grey sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 cup shredded parmigiano-reggiano or mozzarella cheese for topping

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment, drizzle approx 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over foil. Using a pastry brush, coat entire pan with the oil. Place chicken legs on prepared baking sheet. Generously season chicken with the salt and pepper.

Place dip in a medium-sized saucepan. Heat over medium-heat stirring to combine. Do not let boil. When dip is warm, remove from heat. Using a large spoon, coat each chicken leg using all the spinach dip. Drizzle top of prepared chicken with additional olive oil..approx 1 tbsp in total.

Place chicken in preheated oven and bake 35-40 minutes...until chicken is cooked. (juices should run clear when pricked with a sharp knife). Turn chicken twice during cooking time. Remove from oven and sprinkle cheese on top allowing it to melt a bit.

Serve immediately.

I serve this with steamed red potatoes drizzled with the absolute best quality extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with grey sea salt. Add a salad and dinner is served!

** For the spinach & artichoke dip, I use either this recipe or this one. Both are delicious and the decision just depends on what ingredients I have on hand. Use one of these suggestions, your own favorite recipe, or even a purchased dip.

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Other chicken recipes you may enjoy:

• farmhouse fried chicken
• italian chicken stew with olives & kale
• persimmon glazed baked chicken
• rosemary mustard chicken with roasted potatoes
• chicken provençal with heirloom tomatoes

Winter means comfort food at Food Network and this week we are celebrating Chicken. Do you have a favorite chicken recipe? Share in the comments section and/or link to your blog if you have one. And be sure to check out the delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network. 

Feed Me Phoebe: Easy Vietnamese Chicken Pho with Bok Choy and Herbs (Pho Ga)
The Lemon Bowl: Thai Chicken Satay with Sriracha Hoisin Peanut Sauce
The Heritage Cook: Chicken Divan with Roasted Vegetables (Gluten Free)
Creative Culinary: Maple Whiskey Chicken with Bacon
Dishing with Divya: Chicken Bones and Vegetable Soup
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Whole Roasted Tandoori Chicken
Taste with the Eyes: Fabulous Filipino Chicken Adobo
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Chicken with Spinach & Artichoke Dip Sauce
Red or Green: Spicy Chicken, Rice & Black Bean Bake
FN Dish: Classic vs. Creative: Your Pick of Top Chicken Comfort Foods

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green? 

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove
please follow me on Facebook

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos."  Please visit and let me know what you think.

how about a recipe for spicy braised baby artichokes?

i have been loving my weekly csa bounty...and totally enjoying the way i now "menu plan". every thursday i pick up my box, which is loaded with the most amazing organic fruit and vegetables, come home to sort everything out, and then think about delicious ways to prepare. i am a huge proponent of stocking the pantry with amazing ingredients...think extra virgin olive oils, lots of different types of vinegars, high quality mustards, seasoning blends, rice, beans, grains/flours, jams, marmalade, chutneys, dried pastas...you name it. then...coupled with a fridge full of fruit and vegetables, organic & free range eggs and selection of artisan cheeses...wonderful meals are always possible without needing to leave home. (except, perhaps, for a quick trip out for freshly baked bread...happily there is a terrific bakery just a few minutes from my home)

there have been artichokes in the box the past few weeks. the cool thing about being this close to the farm is that you can experience the progress of each crop. the first week, the artichokes were tiny..only a couple of inches long. the next week they were a bit bigger..bigger the next week...and today some are almost large. that is the reason the quantities needed in the following recipe are a bit vague...use as much or as little as you like depending on the yield of the prepared artichokes. as long as you keep liquid in the braising step you really can't screw this up! :)so here we go...spicy braised baby (or small, or medium or large) artichokes. i created the recipe when they were baby sized and the name stuck....enjoy!

spicy braised baby artichokes
8-12 artichokes...baby or small or 4-6 medium or large
2 lemons
ice water
1 leek, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, shredded
extra virgin olive oil
splash white wine
1/2 cup water
1-2 tbsp chili paste (1 use a brand called silafunghi...hot chili sauce)
grey salt
freshly cracked black pepper

have ready a medium sized bowl of ice water. cut each lemon in half, squeeze the juice into the water bath and add the used lemon halves...set aside. prepare artichokes by turning each artichoke onto its side and, using a sharp knife, cut off the top 1/3 of the leaves. pull off all the dark green leaves of each artichoke. this step is very important...you need to remove everything until you get to the light green leaves. you will probably feel like you are discarding most of the artichoke...no worries! those dark green leaves will never soften enough to be edible. cut each artichoke in half lengthwise and then in half again into quarters. peel the stem using a paring knife and then scoop out the tough thistley part of the center or heart called the "choke". as soon as you finish preparing each artichoke, place it in the lemon water bowl. this will help prevent browning.

add a tablespoon of the evoo to a large sauté pan and warm. add the leeks and onion and sauté until soft and translucent. add the garlic and carrot and continue cooking until the onions just begin to turn brown and caramelize. add another tablespoon of evoo. drain the artichokes and add to the pan (discard lemon halves). sauté for a couple of minutes and then add a pinch of salt, pepper, the wine, water and 1 tbsp of the chili sauce. stir. cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the artichokes give easily when pierced with the point of a sharp knife. when tender, remove from heat and taste. add additional chili sauce if you want a bit spicier dish. correct seasonings if needed, but do this step last. chili paste/sauce often contains a lot of salt so you may not need to add any more.

serve as is for a side dish...or add to hot, cooked pasta with a bit more olive oil if needed...delicious! (also, terrific on grilled bread as a bruschetta topping.)

best, and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "

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