Frozen Artichoke Bottoms Recipes

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.

STUFFED ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS

Steps:

• Cut a thin slice from bottoms of artichokes to level if necessary. Place in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan., In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, garlic, chives and oregano. Spoon into artichokes; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 22-26 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

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.

SHRIMP-STUFFED ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Drain and arrange artichoke bottoms in a buttered glass pie dish.
• In a sauce pan, melt butter and blend in flour. Stir in heavy cream and cook over low medium-low heat until sauce thickens. Add sherry and shrimp, then cheese and salt. Cook until cheese melts. Pour this mixture over artichoke bottoms and bake for 20 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

BUTTERED ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS

Steps:

• Place each artichoke on a flat surface on its side and cut away the stems. Cut away bottom leaves, holding a sharp knife perpendicular to the base. This should leave a clean, leafless base.
• Cut away the top leaves, leaving a base about one inch thick. Trim all around the top and bottom of each base to remove the green portions.
• Put flour in a small sieve and hold the sieve over a small saucepan. Pour the water over the flour, stirring to dissolve the flour. Add salt to taste.
• Put the artichoke bottoms into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Let simmer 20 minutes until tender but not mushy. Remove from the heat.
• When cool enough to handle, remove the fuzzy ''choke'' in the center of each artichoke bottom, using fingers or a spoon.
• Heat the butter in a small skillet and add the artichoke bottoms. Cook, turning the bottoms in the hot butter, about two minutes or until very lightly browned on all sides.

ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS STUFFED WITH SPINACH AND WALNUT PUREE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a skillet over low heat.
• saute the onion until lightly browned.
• add the spinach and cook, stirring constantly until wilted.
• place the spinach, walnuts, and cream in a food processor and puree.
• season with salt and pepper.
• preheat oven to 350.
• fill artichoke bottoms with spinach cream.
• place in glass baking dish large enough to hold all bottoms in one layer.
• drizzle with teh broth or beer, cover with alumnium foil, and bake for 25 minutes, basting occasionally.
• just before serving, douse with te hremaining liquid from the bottom of t hepan.