Artichoke, Leek and Potato Casserole

November 3, 2011

The following post, photos, and recipe for Artichoke, Leek and Potato Casserole is a guest post from Julie of The Little Kitchen. Welcome, Julie!

I was so honored when Katie asked me to guest post. I love her site; I adore her recipes and photography.

This recipe for Artichoke, Leek and Potato Casserole appeared in the October 2011 Everyday Food magazine. When I first saw this recipe, I thought the potato was the star but in actuality, the artichokes and leeks were.

artichoke leek and potato casserole

I have never cooked with Neufchatel cheese before (which is a lower fat cream cheese) so I was really excited to try it. This won’t be the last time I cook with it, it added a nice flavor to the casserole and didn’t taste at all like it was lower in fat.

I love, love leeks especially in potato leek soup. The best way to clean leeks is to rinse them as thoroughly as possible on the outside and peel any outer layers that are wilting like you would a green onion.

how to clean leeks

Fill a bowl with cold water and slice the leeks as directed. Add them to the bowl as you’re slicing the leeks (rub any dirt off of the leeks as needed) and allow them to sit for a few minutes.

Allowing the leeks to sit floating in the bowl will allow the dirt to settle at the bottom of the bowl. Carefully remove the leeks and shake off excess water.

Is it okay to admit that I cleaned this plate as soon I shot the last picture? I love the tanginess of the Neufchatel cheese along with the lemon juice. If you like a little less tartness, use less lemon juice.

artichoke leek and potato casserole

This is a great little side dish for steak or grilled chicken or even as a vegetarian main dish for Meatless Monday, pair it with a salad or soup. {If you want to make it vegetarian, try making it with vegetable broth.}

I’m adding this casserole to our Thanksgiving menu this year, I can’t wait to have the rest of the family try this! You can’t have too many potato dishes at Thanksgiving.

What is your favorite potato dish for Thanksgiving?

Artichoke, Leek and Potato Casserole

Yield: serves 6

Prep Time:25 minutes

Cook Time:40 minutes

Total Time:65 minutes

A wonderful twist on a potato casserole where the artichokes and leeks are the star

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for baking dish
2 leeks (white & light-green parts only), sliced into thin half-moons and rinsed well
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
14 ounce can of artichokes, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 bar (8 oz.) Neufchatel cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt & pepper
2 medium (or 1 large) russet potatoes, very thinly sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Add oil to a large pan or skillet and bring to medium high.

Add leeks and celery. Cook for 8 minutes, until softened and a little browned. Add artichokes, chicken broth and cheese. Stir thoroughly until combined. Take skillet off heat and add the lemon juice.

Rub oil on the inside of a 1 or 1 1/2 quart gratin or baking dish with a paper towel.

Place half of the potato slices, allowing a little overlap, arrange in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper and add all of the artichoke-leek mixture on top of the potatoes. Arrange the rest of the potato slices on top in the same manner as the bottom layer.

Season the top potato layer with salt and pepper and brush with the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the potatoes are tender and golden brown. Allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

From Everyday Food magazine, October 2011

About the Author:

julie deilyJulie Deily, software engineer, blogs at The Little Kitchen where she shares her cooking and baking adventures. She’s the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants and resides in Florida.

Julie learned in college while she was living on her own that she shared her Mom’s love of feeding people. She also loves to volunteer and organize events.

Julie is a social media addict and you can follow her on Twitter, Facebook and Whatever Julie.

Guest Posts, Holiday Recipes, Side Dish, Thanksgiving Recipes
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