Recipe: Baked Brie with Herbed Artichokes

This sophisticated spin on classic artichoke dip practically screams springtime! Here, a flavorful artichoke topping is piled high on a wheel of brie, then the whole dish is baked until just barely bubbly. It’s downright decadent and it’s totally delicious.

I can always rely on baked brie — it’s a no-fail entertaining appetizer. It simply never gets old because there are a hundred different ways to prepare it. During the winter holidays, I smother the creamy cheese in a sinfully sweet praline sauce; in the throes of summer, a pile of sun-ripened berries is all it needs. It is timeless because it adapts to every pantry and season. Even springtime.

Inspiration for this spring-appropriate herbed artichoke topping came to me after a long and lazy afternoon leafing through my cookbook collection. At one point I stumbled upon a mouth-watering recipe for spinach & artichoke dip made with brie (brilliant!) and that got my culinary wheels spinning. Next thing I know, I was dreaming of a gussied up — make that grown-up — take on artichoke dip for my next impromptu gathering.

Using the best quality ingredients do make a difference for this appetizer. I personally prefer to use a mild, buttery brie. If you don’t know what you like, ask your cheesemonger for suggestions. I also happen to be quite sensitive to the bitter taste that artichokes preserved in jars of brine can sometimes have, so I used frozen artichoke hearts here. If you like jarred artichokes, you can sub in your favorite kind, but I don’t recommend using canned.

If you always keep these flavorful ingredients on hand, you’ll always be ready to entertain. I’m thinking this savory spread will make a perfect Easter or Mother’s Day appetizer — the one that gets everyone gathered around the table. Just be sure to share or you might not make it to dinner!