Fried Artichoke Bottoms With Picholine Olive Dressing Recipes

SAUTEED ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine and toss drained and rinsed artichoke bottoms with lemon juice. Set aside.
• In a large frying pan over medium heat, sweat onions in oil until translucent. Add tomatoes and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in Italian seasoning and shredded basil leaves. Add in artichoke bottoms with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover pan and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• To serve, remove artichoke bottoms and place on serving plate so the hollow side is up. Fill with tomato-onion mixture.

FRIED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Mix salt and pepper in a small bowl. Fill a large bowl with water and add juice and rinds of lemons. Set both bowls aside.
• Using a sharp paring or bird's beak knife, shave off the tough outer leaves of artichokes until you reach the tender pale green or yellow leaves and create a bulbous shape. Cut off at least an inch of the thorny top. Trim the stem near the heart, peeling off the outer green fiber and leaving about 2 inches of stem if possible. Immediately put the artichokes in the lemon water to prevent browning.
• Fill an electric fryer or deep cast-iron enameled pot with enough oil to almost cover artichokes. Heat to 325 degrees. While oil is heating, dry artichokes well with paper towels. Tap the flat top of the cut artichoke against the table to loosen the leaves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, rubbing in the seasoning.
• Fry artichokes in batches. Cook, turning occasionally with tongs, for about 15 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the stem at its thickest point. The outside should be bronzed.
• Remove artichokes from oil and drain well, stem side up, on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Gently open leaves to remove choke (using a grapefruit spoon or melon baller) and encourage the leaves to spread. You can now freeze them or leave them out, stem side up, for a few hours until ready to finish.
• When ready to serve, reheat the oil to 350. Working in batches again, return artichokes, stem side up, to hot oil just to crisp. Drain well and serve immediately with a sprinkle of salt. Eat with your fingers.

ARTICHOKES IN A GARLIC AND OLIVE OIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add seashell pasta, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
• Heat the olive oil and melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Mix in the garlic, basil, and artichoke hearts, and cook 5 minutes, until heated through. Toss with the cooked pasta to serve.

BRAISED GREEK ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS WITH LEMON AND OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• Fill a bowl with water and add the juice of 1 lemon. Cut away the end of the stems of the artichokes, leaving about an inch. Break off the tough leaves around the bottom, and using a large, sharp chef's knife, cut away the tops about an inch above the widest part of the artichoke. Then trim the base by holding a paring knife at a 45-degree angle and turning the artichoke against the knife. You should end up with bare artichoke bottoms with no leaves and smooth sides. Peel the stems. Cut the artichoke bottom in half, scoop out the spiny inner leaves and the choke, and immediately plunge it into the bowl of acidulated water.
• Oil a large casserole. Drain the artichokes, take two halves and press them together to make a single artichoke, and place in the casserole, stem up. Repeat with the remaining artichokes, squeezing them into the pot with their stems facing up.
• Add enough water to the casserole to come a third of the way up the sides of the artichoke bottoms. Drizzle in the remaining lemon juice and the olive oil. Add salt to taste and sprinkle on the dill. Bring to a simmer, cover tightly and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the artichokes are tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then transfer to a platter. Discard the liquid in the pot. Serve cold or room temperature, garnished, if desired, with fresh dill.

ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS BRAISED IN OLIVE OIL WITH GARLIC AND MINT

Steps:

• Keep stem attached and, at opposite end, cut off top inch of 1 artichoke with a serrated knife. Bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base, then discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until you reach pale yellow leaves with pale green tips.
• Cut remaining leaves flush with top of artichoke bottom using a sharp knife, then pull out purple leaves and scoop out fuzzy choke with melon-ball cutter. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and sides of artichoke with a sharp paring knife, then rub cut surfaces with a lemon half.
• Cut 1/4 inch from end of stem to expose inner core. Trim sides of stem (still attached) down to pale inner core. Rub cut surfaces with same lemon half.
• Trim remaining artichokes in same manner.
• Put water and oil in a 4-quart heavy pot.
• Mince and mash garlic with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, then mix in mint. Rub one sixth of garlic paste into cavity of each artichoke, then stand artichokes upside down in liquid in pot. Sprinkle remaining teaspoon salt over artichokes, then simmer, covered, over low heat, until tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Transfer artichokes to a serving dish and boil cooking liquid, whisking, until emulsified and reduced to about 1/3 cup. Pour sauce over artichokes and serve warm or at room temperature.

FRIED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with cold water. Add juice of 2 lemons; set aside. Remove outer leaves from artichokes. Holding onto the stem of each artichoke, smash each artichoke on work surface until remaining leaves of artichokes open, resembling a flower in bloom. Transfer artichokes to bowl of acidulated water.
• Pour 1 1/2 inches olive oil into a large saucepan, and heat over medium heat to 320 degrees. Dry artichokes well. Add to saucepan, and cook until artichoke bottoms are fork-tender, about 4 minutes.
• Remove from saucepan, and drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Set aside to cool for about 5 minutes. Season with salt, and return to saucepan. Dip fingertips in ice water, and flick about 1 teaspoon of water into saucepan. Continue to cook until crisp and golden, about 4 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup olive oil, remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place radicchio in a medium bowl, and drizzle 1/4 cup vinaigrette over radicchio; toss to combine. Transfer to a platter.
• Remove fried artichokes to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Halve artichokes lengthwise, and place on radicchio. Drizzle with vinaigrette, reserving any extra for another use. Serve immediately.

FRIED ARTICHOKE HEARTS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or heavy deep skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Place seasoned bread crumbs in a separate bowl. Dip artichoke hearts in the egg mixture, then roll in bread crumbs until they are fully covered.
• Deep-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until deep golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain excess oil. When all the pieces have been fried, place on a serving tray and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

FRIED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze juice from 2 lemon halves into bowl.
• Keep stem attached and, at opposite end, cut off top inch of 1 artichoke with a serrated knife. Bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base, then discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until you reach pale yellow leaves with pale green tips. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and side of artichoke with a paring knife, then rub cut surfaces with a remaining lemon half.
• Trim 1/4 inch from end of stem to expose inner core. Trim sides of stem (still attached) down to pale inner core (don't worry if remaining stem is very thin). Cut off pale green top of artichoke, then cut artichoke lengthwise into 6 wedges. Cut out purple leaves and fuzzy choke. Rub cut surfaces with remaining lemon half and put in bowl of acidulated water. Trim remaining artichokes in same manner.
• Drain artichokes well on paper towels and pat dry. Heat oil in a 4-quart deep heavy saucepan over moderate heat until thermometer registers 220°F, then simmer artichokes in oil, gently stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
• Continue to heat oil over moderate heat until thermometer registers 375°F, then fry artichokes in 4 batches until leaves are curled, browned, and crisp, 30 to 40 seconds. (Return oil to 375°F between batches.) Drain well on paper towels and season with salt.