artichokes

Market Matters- Baked Artichokes

20 Mar 2011
artichokes

It’s artichoke season in California! So it's down the hill and off the the Hollywood Farmers Market for this week's Market Matters.

While it’s true that in California artichokes are available throughout the year to varying degrees, peak season is from March to May with another flush of this thistle like flower in October. That means markets all across the US are filling up with gorgeous green globes right now.

It also means you should get your hands on some.

California pretty much supplies the entire U.S. with artichokes. Our central coast has the perfect climate for them to thrive. So we take the artichoke pretty seriously. So seriously that we started naming artichoke queens to be ambassadors for this tasty thistle way back in 1947 when a young woman named Norma Jean was crowned Castroville's first ever Artichoke Queen. Yep, the artichoke launched the career of Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe.

I may not be a blond bombshell, but as a Californian I consider it my duty to sing the praises of this very important cash crop. Because a lot of good cooks get flustered when in the presence of artichokes. They are thorny and altogether a bit intimidating. So I'll throw out a few guidelines on choosing, storing and prepping artichokes. Maybe the folks in Castroville will hear me and offer me Marilyn's old crown. Who knows? A boy can dream, can't he?

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Baked, Artichokes with Onions, Lemon, Kalamata Olives & Rosemary

Baked, Artichokes with Onions, Lemon, Kalamata Olives & Rosemary
By jgreghenry Published March 20, 2011
Prep time: 5
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb thinly sliced sweet yellow onions
  • 0.75 c olive oil
  • 0 sea salt
  • 3 clv garlic, slivered
  • 0.5 c kalamata olives, pitted & rinsed
  • 1 T fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced
  • 0.25 c dry white wine
  • 4 bright green, tightly closed artichokes, 3 1/2 inches in diameter
  • 0 crusty bread or cooked pasta, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the onions with about 1/2 cup of the olive oil and about 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt Add the garlic, olives, and rosemary. Toss the lemon slices with the onion mixture, add the white wine, and set aside to let the onions soften and “weep” their moisture while you trim the artichokes. Trim the bottom of the stem of each artichoke slightly, leaving as much as possible attached, then carefully peel the stalk. Remove badly damaged or dry outer leaves. Trim the thorns with scissors or slice them off with a sharp paring knife. Cut the artichoke in half, and then use a stainless steel spoon or paring knife to carve under and remove the thistly choke, leaving the meaty bottom intact. Rinse in cold water; don’t drain well– a little water between the leaves helps ensure that the artichokes cook thoroughly and evenly. Sprinkle the artichokes with salt, squeezing and folding them so some salt falls between the leaves. Drizzle and rub with the remaining olive oil to coat thoroughly, and then squeeze the halves so you can trickle and rub some oil between the leaves. Spread the juicy onion mixture about 1 1/2 inches deep in a large, flameproof baking dish (such as a 10- by 14-inch lasagna pan). The liquid should be about 1/2 inch deep; if not, add a little water. Nestle the artichokes cut side down in the bed of onions. They will be crowded. Cover tightly– first with parchment paper, then foil, dull side out– and bake until you can easily pull out a second-tier leaf and the pulp at its base is tender. This usually takes about 1 1/2 hours; the exact size of the artichokes, as well as the baking dish and oven performance, will affect the cooking time. Be aware that the outermost layer of leaves will emerge a little leathery, but tasty and edible. Once a test leaf is tender, raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F, uncover, and bake for about 15 minutes longer to concentrate the flavors and lightly brown the tips of the vegetables. Serve hot, warm, or cold, as is, or with homemade mayonnaise flavored with lemon, garlic, or a few chopped anchovy fillets. Include some good crusty bread for scooping up the onion mixture, or toss the onions with some cooked pasta to serve on the side.

Notes:

serves 4 These are even better after a night in the refrigerator as they get even silkier. Source: Judy Rodgers, The Zuni Cafe Cookbook

Steamed Artichokes with Lemon

Steamed Artichokes with Lemon
By jgreghenry Published October 24, 2010
Prep time: 45
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 4 large artichokes
  • 6 sprigs parsley
  • 0.5 c fresh lemon juice
  • 0 lemon wedges

Directions

Wash artichokes under cold running water. Cut off stems at base and remove small bottom leaves. TRim the top by cutting off about 1-inch. Trim the outer leaves of the point. Scrap out the thistle if desired. Stand artichokes upright in deep saucepan large enough to hold snugly. Add 1 teaspoon salt, lemon juice parsley sprigs and enough water to ring the level to about 2 inches. Cover and boil gently 25 to 30 minutes, or until base can be pierced easily with fork. (Add a little more boiling water during cooking, if needed.) Turn artichokes upside down to drain. Serve immediately or cool completely; cover and refrigerate to chill. Makes 4 artichokes. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Notes:

makes 4

Judi's Bistro- Artichoke Clafouti

11 May 2010
artichoke clafouti

It's probably obvious. But in case you didn't know it. I can be a sentimental fool.

I can get weepy at the silliest things. Yet actual physical pain barely phases me. When I broke my jaw in Sonoma last year I drove all the way home to Los Angeles barely registering the massive injury I had sustained. I had to hold my jaw in place with my hand, but I didn't cry.

But say clafouti to me, and I begin to tear up. Mis-pronounce it and watch the tears flow.

That's because my mother had her very special way of pronouncing some words. Clafouti was one of those words. Now she had a pretty good grasp of the French language, but she could not get the emphasis on the proper syllable in clafouti. Of course there was no correcting her. She wasn't the type of person who took criticism well. She would just stare at you blankly like she had no idea what you were talking about. So when she had a way of saying a word, well that's the way a word would be said forever. Don't get me started on schedule. I may start balling and never stop!

This is Day 3 in my week long tribute to my mother and her cooking. She may be gone, but thanks to a collection of her recipes my brother compiled after her death, her spirit lives on in pages of delicious memories from my youth.

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Artichoke Clafouti

Artichoke Clafouti
By jgreghenry Published May 7, 2010
Prep time: 45
Yield:1 ()

Ingredients:

  • 1 pk (9oz) frozen artichoke hearts
  • 1 small red bell pepper
  • 1 small yellow bell pepper
  • 1 small zucchini
  • 4 green onions, white and light green parts
  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 clv garlic, peeled and minced
  • 0.5 t dried oregano
  • 0 salt and white pepper as needed
  • 1 pn ground nutmeg
  • 2 T store bought breadcrumbs
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 c half and half room temperature
  • 3 T flour
  • 0.5 c parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Blanch artichokes in lightly salted boiling water for one minute. Drain and set aside. Remove the stem core and dice the bell peppers. Dice the zucchini. Thinly slice the green onions. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and garlic. Stir until fragrant. Add the green onions to the skillet, stir to coat. Add oregano, a pinch of salt and white pepper, and a pinch of ground nutmeg. Add the artichokes, bell peppers and zucchini. Cook the vegetables about 4 minutes until slightly softened. Turn of the heat and set aside.It may be made ahead to this point and refrigerated up to 2 days. At serving time. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8 inch glass or ceramic shallow baking dish or pie pan. Dust it with the breadcrumbs, shaking out excess. Break the eggs into a bowl and whisk in the half and half and flour. Whisk vigorously, until tiny bubbles are suspended in the mixture. Immediately add the cooled vegetables and the Parmesan cheese, and another pinch of salt, mix well. Pour this mixture into the prepared dish. Set the filled dish into the center of a larger baking pan and fill the larger pan with warm water until it comes about halfway up the sides of the filled dish. Carefully move the pans to the oven and bake about 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not overcook the custard should remain tender and barely hold together. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes:

Serves 8 as a side dish 4 as a brunch, lunch or light supper. Source: Judi Bond Henry (my mom)