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<[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...
Quoted message said:Despite a recent post on artichokes........
I need some info on them. Are they worth the work to
prepare and cook them? I understand that they have a
rather delicate taste and actually I have had them in
Italian dishes (thought they were basically tasteless). I
have perused the artichoke websites, but I am not sure of
my own expertise on preparing them. In short: Are they
really worth the effort?
The affirmative being the case, I would be looking for
some recipes that feature the artichoke.
Thank you.
Oh yes, yes, yes!! I love artichokes. They're relatively
simple to prepare, though they do take awhile to cook unless
you've got a pressure cooker.
Trim the outer tougher leaves. Lay the artichoke on its side
and using a sharp knife, cut off the entire top 1/2 " or so.
I also like to snip off the pointy edge of each leaf with a
scissor as it removes what is sometimes a sharp pointy edge,
and also looks prettier for presentation. Cut off the stem
(but do not discard! It's yummy!)
Peel the stem and shove it into the center of the artichoke.
It will take some work getting it opened up, and the stem
probably won't fit all the way in; no matter.
For four very large artichokes:
Take a whole bunch of flat-leaf Italian parsley and chop
fine; combine with as much minced garlic as you like (I
use 5 or 6 large cloves). Mix the garlic and parsley;
season with salt & pepper. Stuff the garlic- parsley
mixture into each leaf, working over a dish to catch the
excess. Use it all.
In a pot large enough to hold all the artichokes, stand them
upright and add about 1 to 2" of water. Sprinkle olive oil
and the juice of a whole lemon over the artichokes; throw
the lemons into the pot and cover tightly. If you're using a
pressure cooker, they should take 20 minutes or so. If
you're using a regular pot, it's closer to an hour. You can
tell they're done when you tug on one of the leaves and it
comes out easily.
You can serve them at this point as is. If you like, add a
tablespoon or two of butter to the cooking water and use it
as a dipping sauce, or make a hollandaise or simply use
mayo. I like them just plain.
A slight variation would be to prepare them as above; cut
them in half (down, not across); sprinkle with bread crumbs,
drizzle with olive oil and place under a broiler till the
bread crumbs are crisp.
--
Donna A pessimist believes all women are bad. An optimist
hopes they are.
