ARTICHOKES
I was at the market a while back and saw these strange looking creatures on the shelf. I decided to take a package home and see what can be done with them. I attempted these MANY years ago and they were a complete disaster but now that I have a wonderful support group, almost anything can be achieved sooooo….here’s what I did.
ISSUE 2 Page 38
Has a GREAT blurb on artichokes, including how to prepare for cooking, how to cook and how to eat. Extremely informative and helpful for those of us who have no clue!!
There is also a recipe for aioli and stuffed artichokes.
Per Jean’s suggestion, I made one with just the aioli and stuffed one with the following recipe. We do not have fresh oysters at this time of year but that is on the menu when I can get them.
Aioli Sauce
Yield: 1 cup
Work time: 10 minutes
Combine in a food processor:
1 egg
1 garlic clove, halved
1 TBS lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
Slowly drizzle in:
1 cup olive oil
I made half this recipe---whacked everything into one of those mini food processors, buzzed and what a wonderful consistency---very tasty and went beautifully with the artichokes.
Stuffed Artichokes
Serves 4
Work time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Saute together:
¼ cup mild Italian sausage, crumbled (I made Jean’s recipe—this is an outrageously great sausage recipe---never store bought again for this home!!!)
2 cloves garlic
Combine with:
1 ½ cup fine bread crumbs
6 TBS grated Gruyere cheese
3 TBS parsley, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Stuff 4 steamed artichokes with:
Crumb mixture
Drizzle each with:
1 TBS olive oil
Top each with:
1 TBS aioli sauce
Crumble the sausage. Cook in a sauté pan over medium heat. Press garlic over the cooked sausage. Cook 1 minute then drain fat.
Make sure the sausage crumbles are small---they’ll be easier to distribute in the leaves. The author used purchased crumbs (I did, too). Mix all ingredients.
Pull open the cooked artichokes and fill the center cavity and leaves with crumb mixture. Try to insert mixture into every leaf.
Place them on a foil “boat” on a baking tray. Drizzle with 1 TBS olive oil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through.
Remove the tray from the oven and turn on the broiler. Spoon 1 TBS of Aioli sauce over the top of each stuffed artichoke.
Broil for 3-5 minutes—just enough to add a few hints of rich, brown color to the aioli. EAT WITH YOUR FINGERS!!!!! Have TONS of napkins!!
NOW---this was an incredible dish—not only was it fun to make it was fun to eat. The stuffed version was VERY filling---I had served with a full meal---FORGET IT!! One artichoke is enough for a full meal---nothing else needed, except maybe something to drink—a nice white wine or ice cold water would be lovely.
I am no longer intimated by these babies and they are ooooo soooooo good. The cooking technique produced extremely tender leaves and then once we got down to that heart—you would think you died and went to heaven. A definite repeat—in other words!!!
I was at the market a while back and saw these strange looking creatures on the shelf. I decided to take a package home and see what can be done with them. I attempted these MANY years ago and they were a complete disaster but now that I have a wonderful support group, almost anything can be achieved sooooo….here’s what I did.
ISSUE 2 Page 38
Has a GREAT blurb on artichokes, including how to prepare for cooking, how to cook and how to eat. Extremely informative and helpful for those of us who have no clue!!
There is also a recipe for aioli and stuffed artichokes.
Per Jean’s suggestion, I made one with just the aioli and stuffed one with the following recipe. We do not have fresh oysters at this time of year but that is on the menu when I can get them.
Aioli Sauce
Yield: 1 cup
Work time: 10 minutes
Combine in a food processor:
1 egg
1 garlic clove, halved
1 TBS lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt
Slowly drizzle in:
1 cup olive oil
I made half this recipe---whacked everything into one of those mini food processors, buzzed and what a wonderful consistency---very tasty and went beautifully with the artichokes.
Stuffed Artichokes
Serves 4
Work time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Saute together:
¼ cup mild Italian sausage, crumbled (I made Jean’s recipe—this is an outrageously great sausage recipe---never store bought again for this home!!!)
2 cloves garlic
Combine with:
1 ½ cup fine bread crumbs
6 TBS grated Gruyere cheese
3 TBS parsley, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Stuff 4 steamed artichokes with:
Crumb mixture
Drizzle each with:
1 TBS olive oil
Top each with:
1 TBS aioli sauce
Crumble the sausage. Cook in a sauté pan over medium heat. Press garlic over the cooked sausage. Cook 1 minute then drain fat.
Make sure the sausage crumbles are small---they’ll be easier to distribute in the leaves. The author used purchased crumbs (I did, too). Mix all ingredients.
Pull open the cooked artichokes and fill the center cavity and leaves with crumb mixture. Try to insert mixture into every leaf.
Place them on a foil “boat” on a baking tray. Drizzle with 1 TBS olive oil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until warmed through.
Remove the tray from the oven and turn on the broiler. Spoon 1 TBS of Aioli sauce over the top of each stuffed artichoke.
Broil for 3-5 minutes—just enough to add a few hints of rich, brown color to the aioli. EAT WITH YOUR FINGERS!!!!! Have TONS of napkins!!
NOW---this was an incredible dish—not only was it fun to make it was fun to eat. The stuffed version was VERY filling---I had served with a full meal---FORGET IT!! One artichoke is enough for a full meal---nothing else needed, except maybe something to drink—a nice white wine or ice cold water would be lovely.
I am no longer intimated by these babies and they are ooooo soooooo good. The cooking technique produced extremely tender leaves and then once we got down to that heart—you would think you died and went to heaven. A definite repeat—in other words!!!
"Never eat more than you can lift" Miss Piggy