Most people I know seem
to fall squarely on one side or the other
of the artichoke fence. Some people love
them; others could happily go the rest
of their lives without ever having even
one more bite of an artichoke. Not a lot
of indecision here.
I happen to love the look
and taste of artichokes. And cooking them
at home can be simple and rewarding. First
a few words on preparing a whole fresh
artichoke:
To clean and prepare a whole
artichoke: First fill a large bowl with
fresh cold water. Then, holding the artichoke
upside down by the stem, vigorously dunk
the artichoke several times in the cold
water. The goal here is to force some
water in between the tightly closed leaves
to remove any bits of grit.
Then, with a large sharp
knife, cut off the stem, cutting close
to the base of the artichoke to create
a flat surface so that the artichoke can
sit upright and fairly straight. Important:
rub any cut surfaces with lemon or lemon
juice to avoid discoloration. Pull off
one or two layers of the largest leaves
at the bottom and discard. Then, with
a sharp pair of kitchen scissors, cut
off the sharp points of the individual
leaves, starting at the bottom and working
around the artichoke toward the top. Remember
to rub all the cut surfaces with the lemon.
Now your artichoke is ready to cook!
Place the
artichoke in a saucepan with about 1 1/2
cups water and about 3 Tablespoons lemon
juice. Cover and simmer 20-30 minutes,
or until the leaves move easily when pried
with a fork. Remove the artichoke from
the saucepan, open the middle, then remove
the choke with a teaspoon or fork and
discard. This leaves the artichoke heart
easily enjoyed. Serve immediately or refrigerate
until ready to use.
Here, then are two easy
recipes:
Dressing: In a blender,
mix 4 Tablespoons white wine vinegar with
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil until it
forms a creamy sauce. Add 1 Tablespoon
lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper,
8 cloves minced garlic, 2 Tablespoons
minced shallots, 4 Tablespoons fresh thyme,
6 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives, 1
Tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese, and
3/4 teaspoon salt. Blend a couple of minutes.
Salad: Mix baby
or other salad greens with enough dressing
to thoroughly coat. Place greens on serving
plate. Top with artichoke. Arrange a half-dozen
or so shrimp which have been shelled,
deveined and boiled on plate. Drizzle
artichoke and shrimp with additional dressing,
to taste. May serve remaining dressing
on side for dipping. (Serves 2)
A crisp Sauvignon Blanc
or Fume Blanc.
This is the classic type
of dipping sauce to serve with cooked
whole artichokes. The sauce is pungent
and creamy, and it is a wonderful match
with the earthy artichoke leaves.
Mayonnaise: In a
blender or food processor, combine 1 whole
egg, 4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 4
cloves minced garlic, 1 Tablespoon Dijon
mustard, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend
for a few seconds to combine. With machine
running at high speed, gradually add 8
ounces olive or salad oil through hole
in lid (blender) or feed tube (processor),
blending until creamy and smooth. Refrigerate
if not going to use immediately. Serve
as a dipping sauce with cooked whole artichokes.
Try a fruity red, like
an Italian Chianti or California Sangiovese.
To check out our previous
Wine Skinny Cooks features - click
here.
