“Artichoke: the vegetable of which one has more at the finish than at the start of dinner”. Lord Chesterfield”
One of the many reasons why 2018 is commemorative, it celebrates the 70thanniversary of when Marilyn Monroe was crowned Artichoke Queen in Castroville, California in 1948. Since she was and still is such a sex symbol, one could go as far as saying once you’ve eaten a well-prepared artichoke, you’ll realize that it’s as good or even better than sex. That might be a bit theatrical but nevertheless one can accurately say the ‘choke is one of the undefeated heroes to come out of the vegetable arsenal.
So, if Marilyn was such a fan of this prodigious and impressive flower-like looking veg (it’s actually a thistle) you should be too, because even though the preparation of fresh artichokes might prove a little intimidating, the results are well worth the effort. They yield such a miraculous array of succulent dishes, you can rest assured the artichoke will never be singing back up.
It’s been around for a remarkably long time. They were mentioned by Homer in the 8th century BC and we have to thank the Italian immigrants for bringing this phenomenal veggie into America in the 1920’s, as they are mostly indigenous to Italy and other parts of Europe. Once you’ve learned how to trim an artichoke, it will do your bidding, acquiescing to partake in any manner show stopping dishes. Because kids, an artichoke isn’t just a thing of beauty it’s what poems should be written about.
SELECTING
- Season: March-May
- Choose artichokes that are firm and compact as they will be the meatiest
- Avoid ones that are soft and spotty
- Store them in an unsealed bag inside the veggie crisp drawer
- Utilize them 1-2 days after purchase, as they will start to turn dark
PREPARING
- Cut off the stem
- Slice off the top, (about ¾“) so it looks like it’s got a crew cut – serrated knife works best
- With some scissors trim off the outer leaves and ends of each leaf, as they have a small thorn at each tip, which will make them easier to pluck off for eating
- Cut a lemon in half and rub it all over, as that will prevent the artichoke from turning black
- When halving them, take a spoon to scoop out the hairs from the center cavity
OVEN ROASTED ARTICHOKES WITH LEMON THYME VINAIGRETTE
Serve them warm with the vinaigrette as a starter or as a side dish to a main course.
4 medium sized artichokes
3 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP of white wine
1 TSP dried oregano
1 TSP dried thyme
Couple of pinches of kosher salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
PREHEAT OVEN TO 475F
Remove the stem of the artichoke so they are able to sit upright. Trim about 1” off their tops with a serrated knife and with some scissors trim each leaf around the artichoke to remove their prickly ends.
Mix the olive oil and other ingredients together.
Pull the leaves around the ‘choke gently to open up it up so that the olive oil mix is able to coat the exterior as well as the inside every leaf.
Place them in a deep oven roasting pan and pour the olive oil mixture over them. Cover the pan with some foil and bake them for about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and roast them for an additional 30 minutes till they are brown and golden. Let them rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
DRESSING
¼ cup of EVOO
½ TSP honey
1 TSP salt
3 TBSP lemon juice
½ TSP of fresh or dried thyme
½ TSP Aleppo pepper
½ TSP kosher salt
Whisk together all the ingredients to emulsify and serve in small individual ramekins alongside each warm artichoke for dipping.
SPANISH ROASTED AND STUFFED ARTICHOKES
ALCACHOFAS AL HORNO RELLENAS
4 medium whole artichokes – stems and tops removed and leaves trimmed
¼ cup of regular breadcrumbs
½ cup of grated parmesan
2 TBSP olive oil
2-3 slices of prosciutto – chopped finely
½ cup of chopped pistachios
1 TSP dried oregano
½ TSP kosher salt
Fresh cracked pepper
Honey
PREHEAT OVEN TO 375F
Place the whole artichokes in a large pot covered them with water, drizzle a bit of olive oil, add some lemon slices, whole pepper corns, ½ TSP salt and 2 bay leaves. Cook them for about 20/25 minutes. Remove from the water with some tongs and place them upside down to drain as much of the water as possible. When they have cooled down, cut them in half and with a soup spoon, scoop out the interior “hairs” to make a cavity.
In a small bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, olive oil, oregano, parmesan, prosciutto, ½ TSP salt, fresh cracked pepper and the pistachios. Scoop the mixture into the center of each ‘choke. Place them on a roasting pan, side by side, and roast for 15-20 minutes until the cheese has melted. Arrange them on a serving platter and drizzle them with some honey.
