Name: Artichoke Alfredo Sauce
Yield: Serves 4 to 6 (Makes enough to sauce 1 lb of pasta)
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 small onion, chopped fine; 1 clove garlic, minced; 2 (8-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and chopped coarse; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1 1/4 cups heavy cream; 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese; 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest from 1 lemon; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice from same lemon as zest; 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Why This Recipe Works

Sour cream added a tanginess to the Artichoke Alfredo Sauce that balanced the sauce’s heaviness. Imported Parmesan cheese had the best flavor of cheeses we tested and was well worth tracking down. We preferred to purchase a whole chunk and grate it as needed to keep its flavor fresh. Pregrated cheese dried out and lost much of its flavor.

Instructions

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high, add artichokes, and cook until slightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, 1 cup heavy cream, Parmesan, and lemon zest and juice. Cook over low heat (do not boil) until ingredients are heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss sauce, remaining 1/4 cup cream, parsley, and basil with cooked pasta and serve.