FoodBanter.com - View Single Post

In article > ,
says...
> Despite a recent post on artichokes........
>
> I need some info on them. Are they worth the work to prepare and cook them?
> I understand that they have a rather delicate taste and actually I have had
> them in Italian dishes (thought they were basically tasteless).
> I have perused the artichoke websites, but I am not sure of my own expertise
> on preparing them.
> In short: Are they really worth the effort?
>
> The affirmative being the case, I would be looking for some recipes that
> feature the artichoke.
>
> Thank you.
>
>
>
Oh yes, yes, yes!! I love artichokes. They're relatively simple to
prepare, though they do take awhile to cook unless you've got a pressure
cooker.

Trim the outer tougher leaves. Lay the artichoke on its side and
using a sharp knife, cut off the entire top 1/2 " or so. I also like to
snip off the pointy edge of each leaf with a scissor as it removes what
is sometimes a sharp pointy edge, and also looks prettier for
presentation. Cut off the stem (but do not discard! It's yummy!)

Peel the stem and shove it into the center of the artichoke. It will
take some work getting it opened up, and the stem probably won't fit all
the way in; no matter.

For four very large artichokes:

Take a whole bunch of flat-leaf Italian parsley and chop fine; combine
with as much minced garlic as you like (I use 5 or 6 large cloves). Mix
the garlic and parsley; season with salt & pepper. Stuff the garlic-
parsley mixture into each leaf, working over a dish to catch the excess.
Use it all.

In a pot large enough to hold all the artichokes, stand them upright and
add about 1 to 2" of water. Sprinkle olive oil and the juice of a whole
lemon over the artichokes; throw the lemons into the pot and cover
tightly. If you're using a pressure cooker, they should take 20 minutes
or so. If you're using a regular pot, it's closer to an hour. You can
tell they're done when you tug on one of the leaves and it comes out
easily.

You can serve them at this point as is. If you like, add a tablespoon or
two of butter to the cooking water and use it as a dipping sauce, or make
a hollandaise or simply use mayo. I like them just plain.

A slight variation would be to prepare them as above; cut them in half
(down, not across); sprinkle with bread crumbs, drizzle with olive oil
and place under a broiler till the bread crumbs are crisp.

--
Donna
A pessimist believes all women are bad. An optimist hopes they are.