I ♥ Artichokes

I've always been fond of artichokes.  I buy them whole and boil or steam them, or I get the frozen hearts.  Either way, they're easy to prepare and delicious.  With the whole ones, you just have to get used to the idea of pulling the "meat" off the leaves with your tongue.

Another problem is that I love eating them dipped in a sauce I make that is mayonnaise with lemon juice, tarragon, a dash of hot sauce and salt and pepper added to it.  While this cuts the caloric load of the mayonnaise a bit, you can imagine what you're taking in by the time you eat a whole globe artichoke, then lovingly dip the heart into the sauce.  If you don't get carried away with the sauce, artichokes are quite nutritious.

Take a Dutch oven and fill half way with water, add two teaspoons of salt, squeeze a lemon into the water and toss in the rinds, throw in a couple of garlic cloves that have quartered, and pour a tablespoon of olive oil over the whole thing. To boil or steam artichokes, cut off the stem so the base is stable (trim and reserve it), and cut off the top third of the artichoke, and then trim the remaining spiky leaves.  Place the artichoke base down into the water, and put the stem in there too.  Repeat with a few more artichokes, so that they are all standing in the pot, but not crowded.  Bring the water to a boil.  Turn to low and cover.  Cook for about 40-45 minutes.  They are done when a center leaf pulls out easily.  Enjoy hot or cold.

To steam them, as you prepare the artichokes, soak them is salted lemon water to keep them from turning brown.  Put them in a pot on the steamer insert and add the lemon water to the pot.  Pour olive oil over the artichokes and cover and put on the stove. 

Frozen baby artichokes or hearts are a welcome addition to one of my staples:  fettucine Alfredo.  My version of it, anyway.  In which you boil salt water and cook your pasta, microwave a large bowl with some butter (about half a stick to a pound of pasta) and cream (about a cup to a pound) so that the butter melts.  You don't have to get it very hot, you just don't want to cool down the pasta when you add it to the bowl;  this not only heats the ingredients, but the bowl as well.

When the pasta is almost done, add a package of frozen artichoke hearts to the boiling water and break them up.  When the water comes to a boil, drain the contents of the pot, reserving about 1 cup of the water, and add the noodles and artichoke hearts to the warm bowl.  Add a handful of grated Reggiano parmesan, and mix.  Add another.  A couple of handfuls is probably enough, though as a certified cheese hound, I usually add more.  If it gets too thick, you can add more cream, or some of the drained liquid.  Salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately, with a green salad.  I might even put more parmesan on the table.

Anyway, the hearts make a delicious and different vegetable side dish as well.  You can steam, boil or microwave a package of artichoke hearts, add a little salt, pepper and butter, and they are a wonderful addition to almost any meal.

I found this great site with some new artichoke recipes that I'll have to try.

[Image of artichoke in bloom (not how you eat them, but beautiful--come to think of it, I'd bet you can eat them...), via Duke Gardens]

Comments

[Intlxpatr]

Wooo Hoooo, Rianna, me too, adore artichokes! When my husband came a courting, my Mom served them and my husband-to-be thought it was a TEST! Only later, as we laughed, did I tell him no, that artichokes were a great family favorite.

They are also my secret ingredient in hot cheese dip - total YUMMMMMM.