I pretty much came up with this recipe because I had a few leftover artichoke hearts that I needed to use.  I didn’t have enough to make a big recipe like Spinach Artichoke Lasagna, but I had enough that I wanted to put them to good use.

Plus I needed an excuse to eat more of this tahini dip.  Dip > whatever I’m dipping. 

I went with simplicity mostly because when I made these it was ridiculously hot in my apartment and I wanted it to be a quick process.  I don’t know why broiling something made sense to me at the time considering it was pushing 90 in my apartment, but the oven was only on broil for like 5 minutes, so it worked out. 

If you have a grill, PLEASE make these on the grill because I can tell you they will be 10x better.  Not that they aren’t delicious without the grill, but grilling things always improves the flavor.

Oh, and make a double batch of the dip.  You won’t regret it.  You can use it as a dressing or marinade or a snack on a spoon…

Artichoke Poppers- serves 4-6 people 

• 1 can quartered artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 2-3 tablespoons avocado oil

1. Turn your oven to broil (or prep your grill) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  If you’re using the grill, you can just place the hearts right on the grate.
2. Place the artichoke hearts on the baking sheet and put all the spices into a small bowl.  Add the avocado oil to the spices and mix until you get a paste.  I only used 2 tablespoons of oil.
3. Brush the artichoke hearts with the oil and roast under the broiler for five minutes.  The top should be nice and crispy.  For the grill, place the hearts oil side down and grill for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Remove from oven or grill and serve with tahini dip.

Tahini Dip- makes 1/2 cup dip 

• 1/3 cup tahini
• juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• water as needed

1. I used an immersion blender for this, but you can use a regular blender or food processor.  Note: the smaller the machine the better.
2. Place everything but the water into a jar or blender and blend until smooth.  Add water a tablespoon at a time to get the consistency you want.  Don’t make it too thin or else it won’t stick to your popper.  I believe I used about 1/4 cup worth of water once it was all said and done.
3. Serve immediately with poppers.  You can also keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.