This Baked Artichoke Hearts Au Gratin with Green Onion, Parmesan, and Romano are a delicious side dish for any special meal.
yield: 4 SERVINGS total time: 85 MINUTES prep time: 30 MINUTES cook time: 55 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pkg. (12 oz.) frozen artichoke hearts, thawed, drained, and larger ones cut in half
• 3-4 green onions, green part only, very thinly sliced
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (or use almond meal for gluten-free and lower-carb option, see notes)
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Pecorino-Romano cheese
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/3 cup mayo or light mayo (do not use fat free)
• juice and zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tsp. zest and 2 T juice)
• 1/2 tsp. garlic puree

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325F/170C.
2. Thaw artichoke hearts in the microwave if they’re still frozen, then drain well.
3. Cut larger artichoke hearts in half lengthwise so they’re all the same size.
4. Use olive oil to grease 2 small gratin dishes or 1 medium sized baking dish. (I made this in an 8.5 x 8.5 inch square baking dish and also in the 2 small 7 inch round gratin dishes in the photos.)
5. Arrange artichoke hearts in a single layer in the oiled dish.
6. Then sprinkle finely sliced green onions over the artichokes and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
7. Mix together bread crumbs (or almond meal), grated Parmesan cheese, grated Pecorino-Romano cheese, and dried herbs. (If the cheese isn’t finely grated you might want to buzz it in a mini-processor for a minute or two like I did.)
8. Whisk together the mayo, lemon juice, lemon zest, and garlic puree; then mix in 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture.
9. Use a rubber scraper to spread this over the top of the artichoke hearts, setting aside the rest of the bread crumb/cheese mixture.
10. Cover the dishes with foil and bake in 325F/170C oven for 30 minutes.
11. Remove from oven and increase temperature to 375F/190C.
12. Remove foil and sprinkle the remaining cheese mixture over the top of each dish.
13. Put back into oven and bake about 25 minutes more, or until the topping is lightly browned, and the dish is hot clear through.
14. Serve hot or warm and wait for compliments!