Christine’s mother Esther was an Irish dynamo- a firecracker with a dash of mischief that kept life interesting.
When Christine was growing up, her mom worked in the nearby elementary school where she was well known and loved by the students and teachers alike.
Though Esther’s specialty was baking, the following recipe is one Christine remembers well since she first discovered it at one of the many cooking courses she and her mom took together.
Ingredients:
2 jars (170 mL) marinated artichoke hearts
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 eggs
50 mL fine dry bread crumbs
1 mL salt
5 mL each pepper
5 mL oregano
dash of tabasco sauce
250 g shredded sharp cheddar cheese
30 mL minced parsley
Directions:
Set oven to 325F.
Pour marinade from one of the jars of artichokes into a frying pan. Drain the second jar of artichokes and discard the marinade. Chop all of the artichokes and set aside in a medium-sized bowl.
Meanwhile, add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the frying pan along with the marinade. Sauté over medium heat until the onion and garlic become soft– about 5 minutes.
In another bowl, beat the four eggs together well. Add the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, tabasco sauce, cheese and parsley and stir. Add the chopped artichokes, as well as the onion and garlic mixture to the bowl. Mix well.
Turn the ingredients into a greased 7×11 square inch baking pan.
Bake in heated oven for 30 minutes or until the mixture has set.
Let the artichoke cool in the pan, then cut into 1” squares for serving.
Serve cold or reheat squares in a pan in a 325F oven for 10-15 minutes.
And now… give a toast to Esther and prepare for compliments on your cooking!