I made these artichoke bottoms as part of my Valentine's Day Date Night In menu, and now looking back, I think these babies need their own post! I tried artichoke bottoms for the first time when I went over to my friends house for dinner, and her mom, Tara, whipped them up as an appetizer. As somebody who LOOOOVES artichokes, I couldn't believe I'd never heard of artichoke bottoms! It's the best part of the artichoke AND you don't have to worry about cooking it, or cleaning it. My dream come true! This quickly jumped to the top of my list of favorite artichoke recipes.
I created a spin off of what I tasted that night, and have since made them multiple times because I crave them like crazy. If you are a fan of artichokes (or even if you're not), you are going to LOVE this recipe. The only sticky part is finding the artichoke bottoms...I went to 3 different stores before getting my hands on them at a local Smart and Final. You can also find them online if you want to buy them in bulk! These little apps will be your new favorite snack to serve at dinner, and will disappear faster than you can say artichoke!
Ingredients:
2 cans artichoke bottoms, drained (I find them online or at Smart & Final)
8oz plain greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ lemon, juiced
1/4 C loosely packed chopped chives + more for garnish
1 C parmesan, grated + more for topping
½ tsp salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp Maldon sea salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 deg (F). Lay out artichoke bottoms “bowl side up” on a flat baking sheet lined with foil.
In a bowl, combine greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, ¼ C chives, 1/2 C grated parmesan and salt.
Using a spoon, scoop a small amount (about 1-2 tbsp) of the yogurt mixture into each of the artichoke bottoms. This small amount should fit perfectly into the “bowl” in each artichoke bottom.
NOTE: if the artichoke bottoms are not sitting flat and the mixture is spilling out, you can use a small knife to shave off part of the underside to make it flatter so that the artichoke bottoms will lie flat.
Sprinkle each artichoke bottom with remaining cheese, black pepper and a sprinkle of maldon sea salt. Bake at 400 deg for 10-12 minutes, then broil on high for 3-5 minutes - keeping a close eye on them so they don’t burn.
Top with remaining chopped chives and serve!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 8-10 servings