Paula Wolferts Artichoke And Orange Compote Recipes

RHUBARB COMPOTE

Steps:

• Place rhubarb pieces into a medium pot and sprinkle with sugar. Stir well to make sure rhubarb is completely covered with sugar. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes, stirring once, so natural juices will be released.
• Bring rhubarb mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Turn down heat and simmer until soft, about 10 minutes. Serve compote warm.

TUNISIAN ARTICHOKE AND ORANGE COMPOTE

Steps:

• Place about 4 cups of water and the juice of one lemon in a bowl. To clean artichokes, cut stem as close to base as possible. Break off leaves as far as they will snap. Using a knife and a vegetable peeler, trim rough parts. Cut off thorny tips. Quarter artichokes, and remove hairy chokes with a melon baller or paring knife. Rub with lemon, and drop into bowl with water and lemon juice.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a flameproof earthenware or stainless shallow saucepan, add garlic, and sauté gently for 1 minute. Stir in orange juice, juice of remaining half lemon, salt and pepper. Stir with a wooden spoon. Drain artichokes, and add to pan with 1/4 cup water. Cover with crumbled wet parchment paper and a tight-fitting lid, and set over lowest heat to cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender, turning artichokes once.
• Meanwhile, combine orange sections, coriander and sugar in an eight-inch skillet, adding up to 3 tablespoons orange juice depending on juiciness of oranges. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until reduced and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Taste, and add extra sugar if still bitter.
• With a slotted spoon, transfer glazed orange sections to a serving dish. Add artichokes to syrupy juices in skillet, and cook until glazed. Transfer artichokes to serving dish.
• Add artichoke cooking juices to skillet. Reduce quickly to a few tablespoons, correct seasoning with salt, pepper, a few drops of lemon juice and a drizzle of fresh oil, and pour over artichokes and oranges. Cool. Just before serving, scatter mint sprigs on top.

PAULA WOLFERT'S ARTICHOKE AND ORANGE COMPOTE

Steps:

• Place about 4 cups water and juice of 1/2 lemon in a bowl. Clean artichokes, and cut off ends of stems. Break off leaves as far as they will snap, leaving only white leaves. Using a knife and a vegetable peeler, trim rough parts that stick out after leaves have been broken off. Trim outer layers of stem with a vegetable peeler. Cut off thorny top about 3/4 of an inch down. Rub with lemon, and drop into lemon water.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a flameproof earthenware or shallow stainless steel saucepan. Add garlic, and sauté over low heat for 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup orange juice, juice of remaining lemon, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for an instant, then add drained artichokes and 1/4 cup water. Cover with crumpled wet parchment paper and a tight-fitting lid, and cook over lowest heat for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender, turning the artichokes once.
• Meanwhile, combine orange sections, coriander, sugar and remaining orange juice in an 8-inch skillet. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until reduced and syrupy, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste, and add extra sugar if still bitter.
• With a slotted spoon, transfer glazed orange sections to a serving dish. Add artichokes to syrupy juices in skillet, and cook until glazed. Transfer artichokes to serving dish.
• Add artichoke cooking juices to skillet. Raise heat to medium-high, and reduce quickly to 1/3 cup. Correct seasoning with salt, pepper and a dash of fresh olive oil, and pour over artichokes and oranges. Just before serving, scatter mint sprigs on top. Serve cool. The dish tastes even better the next day.

GRILLED ARTICHOKES WITH RAW TOMATO COMPOTE

Steps:

• Prepare a stove-top griddle or outdoor grill. Snap off the tough outer leaves of the artichokes and discard. Rub the exposed surfaces with a lemon half. Cut off about the top third of each artichoke with a sharp knife. Trim the ends of the leaves with scissors. Trim all but 1/2 inch of the stem. Using a stainless-steel knife or a curved "bird's beak" knife, pare the remaining stem.
• Steam the artichokes for 20 minutes. When cool, halve each and, using a melon baller, scoop out the prickly hairs, or the choke, and keep scraping until no more fuzz is apparent. Brush the halves with olive oil.
• Grill each side for 5 to 7 minutes, until the artichokes are nicely browned. Spoon the tomato compote into each half and serve.

PAULA WOLFERT'S SEVEN-DAY PRESERVED LEMONS

Steps:

• Dry lemons well and cut each into 8 wedges. In a bowl toss wedges with salt and transfer to a glass jar (about 6-cup capacity). Add lemon juice and cover jar with a tight-fitting glass lid or plastic-coated lid. Let lemons stand at room temperature 7 days, shaking jar each day to redistribute salt and juice. Add oil to cover lemons and store, covered and chilled, up to 6 months.

ORANGE COMPOTE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine orange zest and slices, sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons water; bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until oranges collapse and liquid is syrupy, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Cool compote to room temperature.

PAULA WOLFERT'S HUMMUS

Steps:

• 1. Rinse the soaked (overnight) chickpeas well and drain them before putting them in a saucepan and covering them with plenty of fresh water. Bring to a boil; skim, add one-half teaspoon salt, cover and cook over medium heat, about 1 1/2 hours, until the chickpeas are very soft (you might need to add more water. I burnt a batch so beware.).
• 3. Meanwhile, crush the garlic and one-half teaspoon salt in a mortar until pureed. ( I used the blender for ALL of this then the beans, etc.) Transfer the puree to the work bowl of a food processor, add the sesame tahini and lemon juice and process until white and contracted. Add one-half cup water and process until completely smooth.
• 3. Drain the chickpeas, reserving their cooking liquid. Add the chickpeas to the sesame tahini and process until well-blended. For a smoother texture, press the mixture through the fine blade of a food mill. Thin to desired consistency with reserved chickpea liquid. Adjust the seasoning with salt and lemon juice. The hummus can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.) Serve, sprinkled with paprika and parsley and drizzled with oil.

PAULA WOLFERT'S MOROCCAN EGGPLANT ZAALOUK

Steps:

• 1. Pierce eggplants in one or two places with a toothpick. Either grill for 20 to 30 minutes until blackened and collapsed or cut in half lengthwise, place cut side down on foil lined baking sheets and broil until blackened and tender for 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a colander in the sink. Peel while hot and drain until cool. Squeeze gently to remove any bitter juices.
• 2. Meanwhile, heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over moderate heat. Add tomatoes, sugar, garlic, cumin, paprika, cayenne, 1/2 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally 20 minutes. Crush eggplant and add to skillet. Add cilantro and cook 10 to 15 minutes longer or until thick and juicy. Add lemon juice and salt to taste. Cool and refrigerate overnight.
• 3. Serve at room temperature. Stir in remaining olive oil just before serving.

ARTICHOKE AND ORANGE SALAD

Steps:

• Drain artichokes. Cook in large pot of boiling salted water 4 minutes. Drain and cool. Cut into thin slices.
• Grate enough orange peel to measure 1 teaspoon. Transfer peel to large bowl. Squeeze in 1/3 cup juice from 1 orange. Using small sharp knife, cut off peel and white pith from remaining oranges. Cut oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices; set aside. Mix oil and vinegar into orange juice mixture in bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in artichokes and onion. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, arrange artichokes and onions on platter. Garnish with orange slices and olives. Drizzle vinaigrette from bowl over salad.