Baked Artichoke and Parmesan Spread
Photography by Aaron McLean.

You can assemble this a day ahead and refrigerate. Remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking and spoon over the cream and Parmesan just before baking.
Serves: 8
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
1 x 400 gram tin cooked artichokes
100 grams cream cheese at room temperature
1⁄2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup sour cream
pinch of ground cayenne pepper
1 egg
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Topping
3 tablespoons cream
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
20 cm x 3 cm deep gratin dish
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180 ̊C
Heat the oil in a sauté pan and add the onions, garlic, thyme and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until the onions are very tender and starting to caramelize, stirring occasionally to prevent them sticking. Transfer to a bowl and cool.
Quarter the artichokes and place between kitchen towels, pressing gently to remove excess liquid.
Put the cream cheese, Parmesan, sour cream, cayenne and egg in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the artichokes and pulse to blend, keeping the mixture a little chunky. Tip into a bowl and stir in the cooled onions. Season well.
Place the mixture in the gratin dish, spoon over the cream and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 25 minutes or until set and golden.
Serve warm or at room temperature with an assortment of crackers.
Menu: Serve with the following:
Roast, Stuffed Turkey Breast
Green Bean and Hazelnut Salad
Barbecued Crayfish and Clams with Flavoured Butters
Lime and Lemon Yoghurt Creams
Sbriciolona - Italian Spiced Orange Shortbread
latest issue:
Issue #102
Before we say goodbye to the the warmer weather, we're sneaking in one last bite of moreish nibbles inside the latest issue of dish. When it's time to retreat indoors, welcome the changing of the seasons with bountiful early autumn produce cooked to perfection. Our Dinner for Six Section will have you well prepared for all your family and friends by the time Easter rolls around with two stellar menus to choose from. And when the holidays are over, our snappy midweek meals will be waiting for you in our Food Fast section. You'll want to keep a glass handy, too, our top-rated Aussie Shirazes are the perfect accompaniment at dinnertime.