Pure Joy Catering’s most popular appetizer. On this one, I’ve got to say, for the home chef, canned artichoke bottoms are the way to go, or, you’ll be in the kitchen cursing me all day if you go for fresh ones. That said, you must get Maria’s brand artichoke bottoms, the others are too tough. These are great with cocktails and you can make them a day ahead and pop them in the oven when you like.
Makes 30 pieces.
5 cans Maria’s brand artichoke bottoms (not hearts)
3 cloves garlic, minced fine
1 /4 pound (1.5 cups) grated parmesan (not the salty powdered kind)
1 /2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 t. lemon juice
1 packed t. of lemon zest
1 /4 t. pepper
Garnish;
1 /4 cup toasted pine nuts & minced fresh parsley
Drain the artichoke bottoms, pat dry and trim bottoms of them so they sit level & are tender. Spray a cookie sheet or baking pan with vegetable oil. Blend the ingredients together in a bowl. Sit the bottoms on the cookie sheet and season them with salt & pepper then fill them, top each one with 3 toasted pine nuts. You can cover and hold them at this point or bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes, till golden on top. Sprinkle with minced parsley.
Lynette La Mere, PJC Executive Chef