Calamari With Artichokes And White Wine Recipes

CALAMARI IN A CREAMY WHITE WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add crushed garlic, and cook for a few seconds until it turns golden brown. Stir in the squid, and cook until it turns white. Pour in white wine and cherry pepper slices; bring to a simmer, and cook until the wine is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
• Stir cornstarch into the cream, and add to the simmering calamari. Season with red pepper flakes, basil, salt, and pepper; stir until thickened. To serve, toss pasta with sauce, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

PAN-SEARED SALMON WITH ARTICHOKES AND WHITE WINE

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the salmon fillets evenly with the salt and place each fillet flesh-side down in the hot skillet. Cook until deep golden brown, about 3 minutes. Sear the sides of the fillets for 1 minute on each side. Using a fish spatula, flip the fillets so the skin side is down and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and the oregano sprigs to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Baste the salmon fillets with the infused butter for 1 minute. Remove the salmon and oregano sprigs to a plate to rest.
• In the same skillet over medium heat, add the artichoke hearts and shallots. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the shallots are softened and the artichokes are beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped oregano and tomatoes and stir to combine. Deglaze the skillet with the white wine and allow the wine to cook down until reduced by half. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and the spinach. Cook until the spinach is just barely wilted. Spoon the vegetables onto a platter and top with the rested salmon. Spoon any remaining sauce over the fish and serve.

WHOLE STUFFED ARTICHOKES BRAISED IN WHITE WINE

Steps:

• Make stuffing:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Spread bread crumbs in a shallow baking pan and bake in middle of oven until pale golden, about 10 minutes. Cool crumbs completely, then toss with parmesan, garlic, parsley, soppressata, zest if using, salt, and pepper. Drizzle oil over crumbs and toss to coat evenly.
• Trim and stuff artichokes:
• Cut off artichoke stems and discard. Cut off top 1/2 inch of 1 artichoke with a serrated knife, then cut about 1/2 inch off all remaining leaf tips with kitchen shears. Rub cut leaves with a lemon half.
• Separate leaves slightly with your thumbs and pull out purple leaves from center and enough yellow leaves to expose fuzzy choke. Scoop out choke with melon-ball cutter, then squeeze some lemon juice into cavity.
• Trim remaining artichokes in same manner.
• Spoon about 2 tablespoons stuffing into cavity of each artichoke and, starting with bottom leaves and spreading leaves open as much as possible without breaking, spoon a rounded 1/2 teaspoon stuffing inside each leaf. Top each artichoke with a slice of provolone.
• Cook artichokes:
• Put water, wine, oil, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper in pressure cooker (without insert) or pot and arrange stuffed artichokes in liquid in 1 layer.
• Seal pressure cooker with lid and cook at high pressure, according to manufacturer's instructions, 10 minutes. Put pressure cooker in sink (do not remove lid) and run cold water over lid until pressure goes down completely.
• If using a regular pot, simmer artichokes, covered, until leaves are tender, about 50 minutes.
• Transfer artichokes with tongs to 4 soup plates and spoon cooking liquid around them.

APRIL BLOOMFIELD'S POT-ROASTED ARTICHOKES WITH WHITE WINE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy pot (wide enough to hold the artichokes with room to spare) over medium-high heat until it just begins to smoke.
• Stand the artichokes cut sides down in the oil, wait a minute, then reduce the heat to medium-low, sprinkle in the garlic and salt, and cook, without stirring, just until the garlic turns golden and smells toasty, about 3 minutes.
• Pour in the wine, cover the pot and cook, without stirring, at a vigorous simmer until you can insert a sharp knife into the thick artichoke bottoms with barely any resistance, about 25 minutes. Five minutes or so before they're fully tender, scatter on the capers and cover again.
• Uncover, raise the heat to medium-high, and bring the liquid to a boil.
• Cook until all the wine has evaporated (the bubbling sound will become a sizzle), about 3 minutes. Add the mint and keep cooking the artichokes in the oil (it's OK if a few of them tip over), until the cut sides of the artichokes are deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Lower the heat if necessary to prevent the artichokes from getting too dark.
• Arrange the artichokes prettily on a plate, and scoop the capers, oil and slightly crispy mint over top. Serve straightaway or at room temperature.

POT-ROASTED ARTICHOKES WITH WHITE WINE AND CAPERS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy pot (wide enough to hold the artichokes with room to spare) over medium-high heat until it just begins to smoke. Stand the artichokes cut sides down in the oil, wait a minute, then reduce the heat to medium-low, sprinkle in the garlic and salt, and cook, without stirring, just until the garlic turns golden and smells toasty, about 3 minutes.
• Slowly pour in the wine, cover the pot, and cook, without stirring, at a vigorous simmer until you can insert a sharp knife into the thick artichoke bottoms with barely any resistance, about 25 minutes. Five minutes or so before they're fully tender, remove the lid and scatter on the capers.
• Raise the heat to medium-high, and bring the liquid to a boil. Cook until all the wine has evaporated (the bubbling sound will become a sizzle), about 3 minutes. Add the mint and parsley and keep cooking the artichokes in the oil (it's OK if a few of them tip over), until the cut sides of the artichokes are deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Lower the heat if necessary to prevent the artichokes from getting too dark.
• Arrange the artichokes prettily on a plate, and scoop the capers, oil, and slightly crispy herbs over top. Serve straightaway or at room temperature.
• Turning Artichokes
• I suppose some people might find it a bother, but I quite like turning artichokes. It's like an advanced version of shelling peas-similarly meditative and even a bit fun. Choosing artichokes whose leaves don't move much when you pinch the tops will make your life a bit easier, because typically they have smaller chokes or sometimes none at all.
• Fill a big bowl with water and squeeze in the juice of a lemon. Working with one artichoke at a time, pluck off and discard the green leaves until only the soft yellowish leaves are left. Cut off about 1/2 inch of the stem. Use a peeler or small knife to trim away the tough green stuff at the base of the artichoke. Take a peek at the cut end of the stem. You'll see a pale green circle surrounded by a darker border. Peel the stem, getting as close as you can to the pale green center. Drop the artichoke into the lemony water (to prevent discoloration). Repeat with the remaining artichokes.
• Cut about 1 inch from the tip of each artichoke, then use a small spoon to scoop out and discard the feathery choke. Gently squeeze each artichoke over the bowl as you go, and set them cut sides down on paper towels to drain for about 5 minutes.

CALAMARI IN TOMATO WHITE WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Holding calamari tube, pull off head and tentacles; set aside. Rinse squid tubes under cold water, rubbing off purplish skin. Pull out and discard "pen" (long clear plastic-like skeleton) from centre of tubes.
• On cutting board, pull off and discard fins from tubes. Cut off and discard eyes and head from tentacles, keeping tentacles attached on ring on top. Squeeze hard beak from centre of tentacles and discard.
• Cut tubes crosswise into 1/2" wide rings; pat dry.
• In saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add wine and hot pepper flakes; cook for 1 minutes.
• Add tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add squid; simmer until tender, about 3 - 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt.
• Note: fresh tomatoes could be used.but the sauce would need to cook down probably 10 minutes more.

KILLER GRILLED ARTICHOKES WITH GARLIC AND WHITE WINE BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat and outdoor grill for low heat.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the artichokes into the boiling water. Boil for about 30 minutes, or until a fork is easily inserted into the stem of the artichokes. Drain and set aside.
• Melt butter in a small pan over medium heat, add the garlic and shallot. Cook just until fragrant, remove from heat. Add white wine, salt and pepper (to taste) and stir to combine.
• Place the artichoke halves onto preheated grill. Brush some of the melted butter mixture onto them. Cook for 5-10 minutes, brushing with butter mixture often, until lightly toasted. Remove from grill and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
• Serve remaining butter mixture as a dipping sauce.

CALAMARI WITH ARTICHOKES AND WHITE WINE

Steps:

• 1 Rinse the calamari thoroughly inside and out. Drain well. Cut the bodies crosswise into 1/2-inch rings. Cut the tentacles in half through the base. Pat dry. 2 Trim the artichokes, removing the stem end and all the outer leaves until you reach the pale green central cone. With a small knife, pare away any dark green patches from the base. Cut the artichokes in half and scrape away the fuzzy inner choke. Cut each half into thin slices. 3 Put the garlic, parsley, and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Stir in the calamari and salt to taste. Add the wine and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cover and cook 20 minutes. 4 Stir in the artichokes and 2 tablespoons water. Cook 30 minutes or until tender. Serve hot. From "1,000 Italian Recipes." Copyright 2004 by Michele Scicolone. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.