Baked Spinach and Artichoke Dip

By sandiB2010

I love spinach and artichoke dip, especially served warm right out of the oven, but a good one is hard to come by. The problem is that most recipes call for canned or marinated artichokes — which are tinny and sour tasting — as well as sour cream (yet more tang) and an ungodly amount of mayonnaise. My version is updated with a French twist. Instead of sour cream and mayonnaise, I use a Mornay sauce to thicken the dip. This is simply a Béchamel, or white sauce, with the addition of grated cheese. I also use frozen artichokes, which are the closest thing to fresh. It bakes up creamy, cheesy and wonderfully rich, with chunks of artichoke hearts and bright green spinach within.

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• Salt
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 10-ounce box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed very dry
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 9-ounce boxes frozen artichoke hearts (not thawed), chopped coarse
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Preparation

Step 1

1.Set an oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is a golden sandy color. Whisk in the milk and bring the liquid to a boil. Simmer, stirring constantly, for a few minutes, or until the liquid is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses, ½ teaspoon salt and cayenne pepper. It will be quite thick. Set aside.

3.In a large sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach, garlic, chopped artichokes, thyme, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes more. Transfer the vegetables to a large mixing bowl.

4.Add the cheese sauce to the vegetables and fold together until well combined. Transfer the mixture to an oven-safe serving dish and bake for 20 minutes, or until hot throughout and very lightly golden on top. Serve with sliced baguette.