Artichoke Gratin

Artichokes are one of those things that I just love, and I make sure to always have a jar of artichoke hearts waiting at the ready in the pantry.  They add such a nice flavor to so many dishes ... I make a stroganoff with them and chicken instead of the traditional beef and serve it over egg noodles. They turn into a wonderful warm dip or stand alone as a side dish ... such as in this recipe.

This is a different kind of side dish -- warm and hearty, with a touch of elegance. It cooks up quickly, bubbly and delicious.

Artichoke Gratin
(Makes 4 servings.)

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 can of water-packed artichoke hearts, drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup Marsala wine
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup fresh bread crumbs (use gluten-free bread crumbs for a GF dish)
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Artichoke Gratin

Warm the olive oil in a heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the artichoke hearts, parsley, salt and pepper and cook until the artichoke hearts are starting to brown at the edges, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and Marsala wine and simmer for 3 minutes. Transfer the artichoke mixture to a small baking dish.

Melt the butter in the same skillet used to cook the artichokes. In a small bowl mix the melted butter with the bread crumbs. Stir in the Parmesan and top the artichokes with the bread crumbs. Bake until the top is golden, about 10 minutes.