To Trim Artichokes Into Bottoms Recipes

ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS WITH SHRIMP AND CITRUS SALSA

Steps:

• Fill large nonreactive pot with cold water. Quarter two lemons; squeeze juice into water, and add quarters to pot. Trim one artichoke at a time, cutting stem to one-half inch. Remove leaves down to fuzzy choke, and neatly trim bottom of green exterior. Transfer artichoke to water. Repeat for all artichokes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, and 1 tablespoon oil. Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer. Cook, covered, over low heat until tender when pierced in center, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain.
• Meanwhile, cook shrimp in boiling water until opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain; place under cool running water to stop cooking. Cut into three-quarter-inch pieces. Set aside.
• When artichokes are cool, 15 to 20 minutes, scoop choke; discard. Neatly trim artichoke bottoms; transfer to shallow container. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons juice from remaining lemon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Coat artichokes in mixture. May be refrigerated up to one day ahead.
• Place the artichokes on a serving dish or platter. Arrange a small lettuce leaf on top of each artichoke. Fill each with shrimp and salsa.

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.

ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Snap off most tough outer leaves from artichokes. Trim 1 1/2 inches from top. In pot of water, place artichokes, 1 1/2 lemons, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Cover with smaller-size lid to keep artichokes submerged. Cook over medium heat until hearts are tender when pierced with knife, about 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. When artichokes are tender, drain, remove remaining leaves, and discard all but the smallest, most tender ones. Set those aside. Remove choke completely with melon baller or spoon, and rub artichoke bottoms with remaining lemon half. In a glass pie pan or gratin dish, strew leaves and mix in half of bechamel. Lightly butter artichoke bottoms, season with salt and pepper, and place on top of bechamel. Place folded piece of prosciutto in each bottom; fill with a rounded mound of bechamel.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Rub the tops with butter, and bake for 5 minutes more. Serve one or two bottoms per person along with some of the leaves.

TO TRIM ARTICHOKES INTO BOTTOMS

Steps:

• Halve lemon and into a bowl of cold water squeeze juice from 1 half, dropping squeezed half into water.
• Cut off artichoke stems and discard. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base and discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until exposed leaves are pale green at top and pale yellow at base.
• With a very sharp stainless-steel knife cut across artichoke 1 1/2 inches above stem end and with a spoon scrape out all of choke. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and sides of artichoke bottom and trim any remaining leaves. Rub artichoke bottom all over with cut side of remaining lemon half and put artichoke in bowl of lemon water. Trim remaining artichokes in same manner.

TO TRIM ARTICHOKES INTO BOTTOMS, ITALIAN-STYLE

Steps:

• Halve lemon. Into a bowl of cold water squeeze juice from 1 lemon half and drop squeezed half into water. Do not cut off stems of artichokes. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base and discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until exposed leaves are pale green at top and pale yellow at base.
• With a sharp stainless-steel knife cut off remaining leaves, discarding them (you should have just heart and stem of artichoke). Trim dark green fibrous parts from base of artichoke, being careful not to break off stem. Cut a thin slice from end of stem to expose a fresh cross section. Trim outer green fibrous part from stem, leaving pale core intact. Halve artichoke hearts lengthwise and with a melon-ball cutter or grapefruit spoon scrape out choke and spiky purple-tipped leaves. Rub artichoke all over with cut side of remaining lemon half and put artichoke in bowl of lemon water. Trim remaining artichokes in same manner.

FRIED ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS WITH PICHOLINE OLIVE DRESSING

Steps:

• To cook the artichokes, prepare a bowl with cold water and 3 sliced lemons to store the artichokes in after they have been peeled to prevent discoloration.
• Using a paring knife, remove the outer leaves and trim off the stem of each artichoke, and place in lemon water until ready to use.
• In a medium size pot, combine the celery, garlic, white wine, juice of 2 lemons, parsley, thyme, chicken stock, and salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Add the artichokes and cover them with a dishtowel to submerse the artichokes in the liquid. Cook for approximately 45 minutes, or until fork tender. When finished cooking, remove artichokes from liquid, and let cool to room temperature.
• Once they have cooled, remove any inner leaves and choke that are remaining. Slice the artichoke bottoms into four pieces.
• To bread the artichokes, set up the flour, lightly beaten eggs, and bread crumbs in separate dishes. Dredge the cut artichoke bottoms first in the flour, then in the eggs, and finally in the bread crumbs. Repeat this process until all pieces are breaded. Refrigerate until ready to fry.
• To prepare the dressing, combine the olives and olive juice in a food processor. Process until ground. Add the lemon juice, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, and egg yolk, and pulse until all ingredients are mixed together. While pulsing, drizzle in the olive oil to create an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• To fry the artichoke bottoms, use a heavy-bottomed saucepot, filled half way up with corn oil. Place over medium high heat and bring oil to 350 degrees F. Use a candy thermometer to determine the temperature. When oil is hot, add the artichokes a few pieces at a time and fry until golden brown. Remove from oil, drain on paper towels, and season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, fill a ramekin with the picholine dressing. Line a platter with romaine lettuce, and place the fried artichokes on top. Garnish the platter with lemon wedges and parsley sprigs.

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.