Artichoke Heart Gratin

This gratin starts with frozen or canned artichoke hearts, and ends with a golden layer of melted cheese. (Victoria de la Maza)

This gratin is an elegant first course that can be made in individual dishes or baked in a single large tray. Use either frozen or unflavored canned artichokes hearts to make this dish—a way to quickly get to the heart.

The artichoke hearts are first lightly sautéed in olive oil and butter, to bring out their flavors, and then covered with a mixture of fresh herbs and feta cheese. Then, they are draped in a delicate béchamel sauce, baked, and finished under the broiler for a few minutes until golden and bubbling. Serve it piping hot.

This dish is also perfect by itself for a mid-week supper, or as a side dish to heartier fare, such as roast chicken.

Serves 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 pounds artichoke hearts, thawed if frozen, or rinsed and dried if canned, halved
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, stems removed, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup tarragon, stems removed, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup mint, stems removed, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Béchamel

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Make the Filling

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and the butter. Add the garlic and artichoke hearts and cook for a few minutes to imbue the artichokes with the garlic-butter flavor. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the herbs and the feta cheese. Set aside.

Make the Béchamel Sauce

In a saucier or saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring continuously, until the flour is dissolved. Don’t let it brown. In batches, add the milk and keep whisking until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the gruyere cheese, season with salt and pepper, and keep whisking until the sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon. Set aside.

Assemble the Gratin

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Arrange the artichokes in a medium (10-by-7-inch) ovenproof dish. Cover evenly with the herb mixture and then carefully pour the béchamel on top. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese on top and cover the dish tightly with foil.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the top is golden and the sauce is bubbling. Serve hot.