November 4, 2014
You know when you eat something and it’s so good you crave it again and again? That’s the story with this warm artichoke and tuna dip. It may not sound refined rolling off the tongue, but it’s damn delicious. Case in point: me, sitting here in my robe at 11:00 am munching away on the batch I had to make so I could snap pictures.
It all started when my friend Julie was visiting and we planned a small girls’ night and as usual, we were playing around in the kitchen. I wanted to make a little something warm and tasty that felt like fall. We found a recipe for crab dip but we were a home without crabs (yes, insert joke here). What we did have was tuna packed in oil, a can of artichokes and jalapeños still going in the garden. Viola!
This recipe is so simple I wasn’t sure if it was blog worthy. However, two weeks, four batches served and a slew of compliments, I figured it earned a spot on the blog roll. This is an equal-opportunity pleaser; it works well for a cozy dinner with friends, on the coffee table during the big game or even as a warm up on Thanksgiving Day.
I love my cazuelas, these traditional Spanish baking dishes made of terra cotta hold heat beautifully.
Note: We had just one other couple over for dinner so I baked up only half of the mixture. The rest went back in the fridge and I baked it the next day and it was great.
1 5 ounce can of tuna packed in oil, drained
1 14 ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained and rough chop
1 small jalapeño, fine dice and seeds removed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
8 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup of panko breadcrumbs
2 teaspoon olive oil
Preheat oven to 325.
Take the chopped artichoke hearts and mix together with the tuna, jalapeño, softened cream cheese and thyme until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl mix the panko breadcrumbs and oil. Transfer the artichoke mixture into a baking dish (about three cup capacity) pressing down if need be. Top with the panko and oil mixture. Bake on the upper 1/3 of your oven and bake 25 – 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and the inside is bubbling hot.
This will be super hot coming out of the oven — I have the burnt tongue to prove it. Resist the urge to immediately dig in, letting it rest about 5 minutes before serving. Finish with a garnish of thyme and serve with your choice of crackers, chips or crudités.
