Baked Artichoke Hearts with Swiss and Parmesan Cheeses
- deborahreinhardt
- Apr 2
- 3 min read
Make this elegant side dish featuring tender artichokes, lemon, and savory breadcrumbs for your next spring gathering.
What triggers good memories for you? Is it a place, a holiday or a season? For me, it’s always food! For reasons I don’t fully understand, memories of my friend Darrell have come into my mind several times over the last month, most of them around the food we shared.
For several months, he didn’t have a car and would often ask if I could pick him up from work. “I’ll buy you dinner,” he’d say. Darrell was like an older brother to me, so of course I’d do anything for him.
One of my favorite memories were our dinners at the Flamingo Café in St. Louis. I had my first frozen daquiri there; the Flamingo always garnished the drink with a chocolate-covered strawberry. And we’d often share the restaurant’s fabulous stuffed artichoke for an appetizer, also a first for me. Darrell and the Flamingo Café are gone, but I’m grateful for the memories.
This week’s recipe, Baked Artichoke Hearts with Swiss and Parmesan Cheeses is an homage to my friend. It’s a great side for your Passover or Easter meal. Obviously for Passover, swap the breadcrumbs with crushed matzah. These baked artichokes could be part of your holiday brunch or dinner, and best of all, it comes together in about 40 minutes.
We had Baked Artichoke Hearts with Swiss and Parmesan Cheeses with a quick fettuccini Alfredo for lunch and they were absolutely delicious! The lemon reminded me if the lemon butter the Flamingo Café served with their artichoke appetizer. I definitely will make this side dish again and serve with either pasta, grilled fish or baked chicken.
You will need the following ingredients to make my Baked Artichoke Hearts with Swiss and Parmesan Cheeses, which yields four servings.
2 cans quartered artichoke hearts
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic
¼ teaspoon anchovy paste
1/3 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
1 lemon
2 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup grated Swiss cheese
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
I know some of you may say no to the anchovy paste but hear me out; it adds a nice flavor to the oil and butter mixture. In fact, anchovy and garlic is divine together! The little filets freak me out, though, so I buy the paste and keep it in the fridge.
And don’t get fancy with the breadcrumbs. For this recipe, you want the kind that come in the canister. Also, look for the artichoke hearts packed in water, not oil, here.
Follow these directions to make Baked Artichoke Hearts with Swiss and Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium sauté pan, melt butter and olive oil. While that’s melting, mince garlic. Add the anchovy paste to melted butter and oil and stir for a few minutes until the paste has melted. Add garlic and heat until fragrant.
Stir in breadcrumbs and cook until the mixture starts to turn golden. Remove pan from heat.
Juice lemon and add half of that to the breadcrumbs, along with parsley, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning. Taste for salt; I didn’t add any extra because of the Parmesan. Canned artichokes also contain some sodium. I did add some black pepper, though.
Grease a baking dish with non-stick or a drop of oil. Drain artichoke hearts, arrange in the dish and drizzle with remaining lemon juice. Sprinkle with Swiss cheese. Top with breadcrumb mixture. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes to heat through and breadcrumb topping crisps up a little more.
A tip from the kitchen
My friend Leslie, whom I’ve featured on this blog as an excellent home cook, always uses frozen artichoke hearts in her recipes and salads. She swears the flavor is better than canned, but my store didn’t carry them. Whole Foods and Walmart are other large retailers that my quick search said carries frozen artichoke hearts. Naturally, be sure the frozen artichokes are defrosted and patted dry before using them in this recipe.
If using canned artichoke hearts, do a quick rinse with cold water to remove the brine if you’re watching sodium. Be sure to completely drain the artichokes.
About the blog
Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.
Comments