Baby Artichokes Elegant And Easy First Course Recipes

SAUTEED BABY ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Using a sharp paring knife, trim the outermost layer of leaves from each artichoke. Trim stems, and cut off top half of each artichoke. As you trim them, place them in a medium bowl; add lemon juice, and toss to coat.
• Transfer artichokes to a medium nonreactive saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover artichokes by 1 inch. Using a small heat-proof plate, weigh down the artichokes to keep them submerged. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to low, and simmer artichokes until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain.
• Cut artichokes in half lengthwise. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add artichokes in a single layer, and cook until hot, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and parsley. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute longer. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

BABY ARTICHOKES, ELEGANT AND EASY FIRST COURSE

Steps:

• Boil artichokes, completely submerging in salted water until tender, 10-20 minutes, depending on their size. Drain well and cool.
• Discard tough outer leaves, cut off stem so that the artichoke will stand by itself on a plate.
• Cut across the top part of the artichoke, 1/2" or so, and use scissors to decoratively cut across a few of the remaining outside leaves to resemble a "flower". Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Mix mayonnaise, mustard, kosher salt and pepper to taste.
• When ready to serve, use a spoon to place a thick line of the mayonnaise-mustard mixture off to one side of each individual small flat serving plate.
• Use a clean, unused comb, or similar, to draw wavy lines on the plate through the sauce. Place the cooked artichokes on the plate and sprinkle dill weed atop the "wavy" sauce, and serve.

ROASTED BABY ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Prepare artichokes. Remove the tough outer leaves of the artichokes and trim the stems. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer green layer from the stem. Cut off the top third of the head to remove the tough ends of the leaves, then split it down the middle. Rub with lemon as you work so they don't turn brown.
• Mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and garlic. Lay the artichoke halves cut-side up in a roasting dish and drizzle with the olive oil mixture. Roast in the oven until the artichokes are tender, about 20 minutes.
• To serve, top with the cheese and garnish with the parsley.

BRAISED BABY ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with water. Halve 1 lemon, squeeze the juice into the water and drop both halves into the bowl.
• Cut off the top quarter of the artichokes with a serrated knife. Peel the tough dark green skin from the stems using a paring knife and remove the tough outer leaves until the tender inner green leaves are revealed; it should be only a couple of layers. Cut the artichokes in half lengthwise and toss into the lemon water.
• Zest and juice the remaining 2 lemons and reserve. Coat a large straight-sided skillet generously with olive oil and add the garlic, anchovies and red pepper flakes. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the garlic is very aromatic and the anchovies have dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the artichokes from the water and add them to the pan along with the reserved lemon zest and juice, the white wine and thyme. Season with salt and add just enough water to cover the artichokes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook until the artichokes are very soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the lid and let the liquid reduce until it comes less than halfway up the sides of the arties, about 10 minutes.
• Remove the thyme and toss in the parsley. Swirl and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust if you need to (you probably will). Put the artichokes on a rimmed serving platter or in a bowl. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the parmigiano on top.

PAN-ROASTED BABY ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Peel off and discard a few outer petals of the artichokes until you reach the pale, tender center. Trim the top and stem end, then quarter each artichoke. There should be no discernible choke, but if there is, remove it with a paring knife. Put the artichokes in a bowl of cold water to which the lemon juice has been added.
• In a wide, heavy, nonaluminum skillet, heat a 1/2 inch of olive oil over medium heat. Drain and blot the artichokes and, when the oil is nearly smoking, carefully add them to the skillet. Season well with salt and pepper, stirring to coat with oil. Let the artichokes brown slightly, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until they are tender when probed with a paring knife.
• Add the red pepper, garlic and parsley. Stir well and let sizzle for a minute or so. Transfer the artichokes to a platter, sprinkle with coarse salt and serve with lemon wedges, or sprinkle sparingly with red wine vinegar. Eat hot, or at room temperature.

MARINATED BABY ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare an ice-water bath; add juice of 1 lemon. Trim stems of artichokes, leaving 1 inch intact. Remove tough outer leaves, and trim sharp tips of remaining leaves with scissors. Halve baby artichokes lengthwise, or quarter small artichokes; scoop out fuzzy chokes, and discard. Add prepared artichokes to lemon water as you work.
• Arrange artichokes in a nonreactive 12-by-16-inch baking dish. Using a vegetable peeler, peel 4 strips of zest from remaining lemon, and add to baking dish. Add garlic, olives, and 2 rosemary sprigs. Squeeze juice from zested lemon over artichokes. Drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Cover dish with parchment paper, then foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover; stir, and cook until tender and browned in places, about 10 minutes. Serve the artichokes as is, or continue to step 3.
• Let artichokes cool completely. Transfer contents of baking dish to a sterilized, dry 1-quart jar; add remaining 2 rosemary sprigs. Add enough oil to cover artichokes. Place a round of waxed paper on surface. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

SAUTEED BABY ARTICHOKES WITH OVEN-DRIED TOMATOES AND GREEN-OLIVE DRESSING

Steps:

• Fill large bowl with cold water. Cut lemon in half; squeeze juice into water in bowl, then add lemon halves. Cut off stem and top quarter from 1 artichoke. Bend back dark green outer leaves and snap off at artichoke base until only pale green and yellow leaves remain. Cut artichoke lengthwise in half. Using point of knife, remove any purple-tipped leaves from center of artichoke. Place artichoke halves in lemon water. Repeat with remaining artichokes.
• Drain artichokes well. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add artichokes, sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic and herbes de Provence and sauté until artichokes begin to brown slightly, about 6 minutes. Add broth and wine and bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until artichokes are tender and most liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer until all liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Transfer artichokes to platter; cover and keep warm.
• Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in same pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender and golden brown, about 8 minutes; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer mushrooms and Oven-dried Tomatoes to platter with artichokes. Spoon Green-Olive Dressing over. Garnish with lemon slices and serve.
• *A dried herb mixture sold at specialty foods stores and in the spice section of some supermarkets. A mix of dried thyme, basil, savory, and fennel seeds can be substituted.

ELEGANT ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Cut off stem at base of artichoke. Cut 1 in. from the top. With scissors, snip the tip end of each leaf. Remove outer leaves. Rub cut ends of leaves with lemon juice., Place artichokes in a Dutch oven; add lemon slices and garlic. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until artichoke leaves near the center pull out easily. Drain; arrange on a serving platter. Refrigerate for 1 hour., For dip, in a bowl, whisk the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir in green pepper and onion. Serve with artichokes.