Spinach, Jalapeno and Artichoke dip

Who would have thought that such a strange looking plant would hide such tasty morsels inside. Artichokes are one of those foods, like cows milk that make you wonder how anyone ever thought about eating them. As well as the inedible hairy choke, and the spiky outer leaves, it isn’t until you cook an artichoke that you begin to appreciate its subtle flavour. This amazing dip calls only for the tender hearts of the artichoke, which seems like such a waste, but the hearts are readily available in tins by themselves.

Artichoke Hearts

There are basically 3 ways to eat this Artichoke dip. Eat it raw, cook it and have it hot, or cook it and let it cool before eating. Any way is good, and it will taste slightly different because of the melding of the ingredients while cooking.

Ingredients

• 0.5 lbs (225g) of sour cream
• 1 cup (240ml) mayonnaise
• 1 heaped cup (240ml) of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 0.5 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp jalapeño, chopped
• 1 tin 15oz (425g) artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
• 1lb (450g) box of frozen spinach, drained well

Artichoke dip ready for the oven

Method
Mix together the sour cream, mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese. Add the garlic, jalapeño (omit if you don’t want it spicy), artichoke hearts and spinach, mix to combine and season well. You can chill and serve as it is, or turn it out into an oven proof dish and bake at 375F (190C) for approx. 25mins. Serve hot or cold with bread, pita chips or crackers. Optionally you could add mozzarella for a ‘gooey-er’ dip.

Spinach, Jalapeno and Artichoke dip with pita chips