Garlic & Herb Artichoke Salad

Mrs. D, shortly after being served a dinner salad recently at a nearby cafe, was brought a small bowl of what we both at first thought was a cup of the soup du jour I had ordered that she had not. Turns out it was a part of her salad the chef neglected to put on top. We tasted it and decided not only was it delicious as-is, but I could probably replicate it, which I did. We like to keep a batch on hand for those evenings we forego a sit-down supper and just nibble on hummus, olives, cheeses, etc.

Garlic & Herb Artichoke Salad

2 14 oz. cans quartered artichoke hearts
2 T. fresh basil leaves
1 T. fresh garlic, minced
2 T. fresh chives
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1/4 C. EVOO

Drain artichoke hearts well in collander. Chiffonade the basil leaves by destemming, dividing lengthwise and chopping into 1/8" ribbons. Similarly, chop chives into 1/8" pieces. In a 6-cup bowl, add olive oil, basil, garlic, chives and pepper flakes. Mash seasonings a bit with a fork to diffuse flavors into oil. Add artichoke hearts, tossing well to distribute oil and herbs. Improves after overnight refrigeration. Yield: 4 cups.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">for those evenings we forego a sit-down supper and just nibble on hummus, olives, cheeses, etc. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Doug,

Just saw this winderful recipe and will try it soon. Thanks!

Ray

Doug,

Made this as a side last night - great! Added a splash of lemon juice for our personal flavor. My wife said this is a "keeper". Thanks,

Ray

Doug, your artichoke salad is going to become a stock item in my refrigerator. I added only about 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and a little s/p. It's easy to overdo the lemon - the artichokes really amplify the lemon flavor in a hurry. I used crushed Aleppo chiles.

So far we've enjoyed it au naturel, as an appetizer (each quarter wrapped in a little prosciutto or Black Forest ham, and as a topping for a veggie pizza marinara. I can see it as an addition to an antipasto platter and rice or Israeli couscous salads, or pasta salads and green salads too.

So simple, and so versatile! You hit the jackpot with this one. Thanks!
Rita

The prosciutto/ham element sounds wonderful. The pizza angle is interesting. Some here may be familiar with my past references to Friday Night Pizza, a tradition now spanning three decades. We're long past the point that we no longer order a specific combo, but, instead, let our esteemed waiter choose for us, seeing as he is keenly aware of our likes and dislikes. That, and it keeps us from being repetitive. On a recent occasion, we were presented with a new combo that I said was near perfection, but I thought begged the addition of fresh basil. I brought some basil the following week, and it was indeed fabulous. That combo: sausage, onion, minced fresh garlic, mushroom, sliced meatball*, artichoke, basil, and, optionally, pepperoni slices on top (*from the spaghetti & meatballs menu offering). That artichoke, garlic/onion flavor from the chives, basil mash-up is indeed killer.

You must have a great place to have pizza on a weekly basis! Jack is a meatball maniac, so that combo sounds like a winner. I've been nurturing my basil plants through a couple of 29° nights and it's hanging in there.

I'd venture to guess that the effort of lifting a slice of that pizza combo to eat would be equal to some serious weight training!