Dip into deliciousness: Spinach and artichoke casserole great as dish or target of chips, veggies

Are you ready for some serious spinach? With artichokes and cream cheese and butter, all warm and delicious with a golden Parmesan cheese topping? Good, because that’s what we’re making this week.

I got this recipe from a woman in my book club but my understanding is that it’s been passed around several members of the group, and no wonder, because it’s scrumptious. (Have I mentioned that book club is a fantastic place to pick up recipes? It’s perfect because I get to sample them before I make them.) It’s relatively easy and fun to make, especially if you use your hands to squish the moisture out of the thawed spinach. But more on that later.

The recipe itself is simple — requiring only artichokes, spinach, cream cheese, butter, milk and Parmesan — but is vague on a few points. I had to guess how big the jars of marinated artichokes should be and what size bags of frozen spinach to use. I settled on 12-ounce jars of artichokes and 12-ounce bags of spinach, because I like the number 12. My methods are not scientific.

The spinach needs to be thawed and drained. I tried to thaw it in the fridge overnight but when I opened the bags, the spinach still had ice crystals all over it. I drained the slightly frozen spinach by putting all the spinach in a colander and running hot water over it. It may seem counterintuitive to drain the liquid out of something by adding more liquid but it worked beautifully. When the spinach was fully thawed, I used my hands to squish out all the juice, which is probably where all the nutrients are, but I can’t be responsible for what the recipe made me do. Also I don’t know if you’ve ever plunged your hand into a bowl of warm, squishy spinach but it’s really quite enjoyable. There’s no reason why cooking shouldn’t involve all your senses, including your sense of adventure. (I can’t decide if it’s a good thing or a bad thing if you’re the kind of person who would count spinach-smooshing as “adventure.”)

I drained the three jars of marinated spinach hearts but kept the marinade because that stuff is pure flavor gold and is great as a base for salad dressing or for marinating or braising meat. Artichoke hearts can be quite chunky. The recipe didn’t say to chop them up further, but I did. If you want to remove the extremely fibrous outer layer of artichoke (called “bracts,” if you’re into trivia) during this process, then go right ahead. As for me, I chewed thoughtfully on a few tough leaves while I was chopping but couldn’t quite bring myself to swallow. Those things are like bark, though be reassured that if cut into small bits they soften while the casserole is baking.

I blended the cream cheese (which I forgot to soften) and butter (which I took straight from the fridge) with a hand mixer after warming them in the microwave for a minute. It was a bit splashy with the milk at first but then everything blended together smoothly. The recipe doesn’t call for any additional salt, which is fine because the cream cheese, butter, artichokes and Parmesan add just the right amount of salt. However, I did add 1 teaspoon of lemon pepper because I really love that stuff and tangy lemon is a nice foil for mellow spinach.

The casserole baked up gorgeously in exactly 40 minutes. The only thing I wasn’t able to achieve was a slightly crispy Parmesan layer. Next time I make this I will add 1/3 cup panko, or Japanese-style bread crumbs, for a bit of crunchy texture.

You may be wondering, “Is this really a casserole, or is it a dip?” I say, “Why not both?” I would definitely serve this as a vegetarian entrée with a side of polenta or wild rice, or as a side dish with roasted chicken and potatoes. I’d also just as happily eat it with crackers and crudites (raw vegetables, in plain English). In fact, that’s how my husband and I enjoyed it at home. I made it for dinner and we dipped our crackers, carrots and celery straight into the casserole dish.

If you’re serving this as a dip, be warned that it’s very thick and chunky and needs strong vegetables and hefty crackers to hold up during the dipping. You do not want your mouth to be disappointed when your dipping implement breaks off halfway through a swipe. If necessary, you can resort to using your fingers, and that’s fine. You already touched it once when you squished water out of the spinach. The important thing is that it be served warm with the tantalizing fragrance of toasted Parmesan rising straight to your nose as you take each enthusiastic bite.

In conclusion, is this vegetarian, gluten-free (unless you use bread crumbs) dish healthy? Probably not. Does it contain spinach? Yes. Is spinach good for you? Yes. So, although this dish is not exactly healthful, it is good for you. And that’s why life is so confusing.

Spinach and Artichoke Casserole

3 12-ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts

3 12-ounce bags of frozen chopped spinach, thawed

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

¼ cup (1/2 stick or 4 tablespoons) butter, melted

5 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon lemon pepper (optional)

1/3 to ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan

1/3 cup panko bread crumbs (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drain and chop artichokes and place in bottom of two-quart casserole dish. Drain thawed spinach in a colander, pressing out excess moisture, and layer over artichokes. With a hand mixer, blend cream cheese, butter and milk; add 1 teaspoon of lemon pepper, if desired. Pour over spinach and artichokes and stir to combine. Grate desired amount of fresh (not shelf-stable) Parmesan (hint: more is better) and sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake for 40 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Serve warm.