Crispy Baby Artichokes With Anchovy Aioli Recipes

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.

ROASTED ARTICHOKES WITH ANCHOVY MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• Prepare the artichokes: Fill a large bowl with cold water. Cut the lemon into quarters, and squeeze the juice from each quarter into the water. (This acidulated water will keep the artichokes from discoloring.)
• Snap off a few of the tough outer leaves (bracts) near the stem of each artichoke. Cut each artichoke in half from top to bottom, and lay the halves cut-side down on a cutting board.
• Using a sharp vegetable peeler and working one half at a time, trim the rough edges and the stems. Cut 1/4 inch from the bottom of the stem and 1/2 inch from the top of each half. Turn the halves over and use a teaspoon or melon baller to remove the hairy "choke." Place trimmed artichoke halves in the lemon water. Leave them in the lemon water until ready to cook.
• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add drained artichoke halves and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and place artichoke halves cut-side up in a stainless steel roasting pan or ceramic baking dish, in one layer.
• Tuck thyme sprigs under artichokes, and sprinkle artichokes with salt and pepper. Drizzle generously with olive oil, about 1 1/2 teaspoons per halved artichoke. Bake, uncovered and brushing with oil from the pan occasionally, until nicely browned, 30 to 40 minutes.
• As artichokes roast, make the anchovy mayonnaise: Put mayonnaise in a bowl and stir in chopped anchovies and capers, lemon zest and juice, garlic, cayenne and a little salt and pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes, then taste and adjust seasoning.
• When artichokes are ready, transfer to a serving platter or individual plates. Brush lightly with oil from the pan. Sprinkle with parsley and serve anchovy mayonnaise and lemon wedges, if you like, on the side.

BABY ARTICHOKES WITH AIOLI

Steps:

• Cut 2 of the lemons in half and squeeze the juice into a large bowl filled with cold water; drop squeezed lemon halves into water. Set bowl of lemon water next to your work area. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, remove the top few layers of dark green leaves, exposing the tender yellow leaves below. With a sharp paring knife, pare away the tough, fibrous outer layer around the base of the artichoke, then trim the tip of the artichoke off to flatten the top; you should still have about 2 inches of leaves above each heart. Drop each artichoke into the bowl of lemon water, as it is prepared (otherwise artichokes will darken).
• To cook artichokes, place them on a rack in a pan above simmering water and steam, covered, until a knife slides easily through the base of the artichoke and leaves are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove artichokes and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
• To make the aioli, juice the remaining lemon. In a blender, puree the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the garlic, and a hefty pinch of salt. (If using a food processor, use a whole egg.) With machine running, gradually pour in the extra-virgin olive oil in a very thin, steady stream. Then pour in neutral oil in a thin stream. Do not rush it; if you pour oil too fast, mayonnaise won?t thicken. When all the oil is incorporated, transfer aioli to a serving bowl and season, to taste, with more lemon juice and salt. Serve at once with cooled artichokes. If made ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate aioli and artichokes up to 1 day.

CRISPED BABY ARTICHOKES WITH CAPER AIOLI

Steps:

• Caper aioli: Preheat oven to 500 degrees with a rimmed baking sheet on a rack in lowest position. Puree yolk, lemon zest and juice, garlic, and capers in a blender until smooth. With motor running, gradually add oil in a steady stream until mixture is thick and creamy. Season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl; garnish with more capers.
• Artichokes: Squeeze lemon halves into a large bowl of water; add rinds. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, remove all tough outer leaves. With a serrated knife, cut off top 1/2 inch; with a paring knife, trim and peel stem. Open soft inner leaves with your fingers until artichoke resembles a flower in full bloom. (Transfer to lemon water as you work to prevent discoloration.) Drain artichokes upside down, with leaves spread open on paper towels.
• Toss artichokes with oil. Place upside down on hot baking sheet and roast, stirring once halfway through, until leaves are crisp and hearts are tender, 8 to 13 minutes. Season with flaky salt and serve immediately, with aioli.

SOUTHERN ITALIAN BABY ARTICHOKES.

Steps:

• Juice 1 lemon into large bowl filled with cold water. Add remnant lemon also.
• Set bowl of water next to prep area.
• Juice 1 more lemon set juice aside.
• Take each artichoke and remove top few layers of dark green leaves exsposing slightly lighter more tender leaves underneath.
• Snap off artichoke long stems.
• With kitchen shears cut up 1/2 inch of the top of artichoke. Add to lemon water, otherwise they will darken.
• Boil enough water to cover artichokes with second lemon juice.
• Once boiling add artichokes for 10 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Strain and pat dry.
• In metal pot, large enough to hold artichokes SNUGGLY heat 1 tblsp oil and 4 cloves of mashed garlic over low to medium heat, allow to become tender.
• Set artichokes stem side down into pot, make sure they are snug.
• Add enough olive oil to reach halfway up artichokes.
• Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes. ( Leaves should pull away fairly easily when done).
• Once cooked discard most of oil, leave enough to toss to coat and season generously with pepper and salt add 1 handful 1/2 cup of italian bread crumbs.