Paula Kraft s Artichoke Recipes Grilled Artichokes Serves 6 to 8 3 whole artichokes 1 lemon 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns 4-6 cloves garlic 3 tablespoons olive oil If using a grill that needs to be started ahead of time, prepare the fire. Fill a stockpot with water deep enough to for the artichokes to fully float and bring to a boil. 1
Trim the ends off the artichoke stems and slice the artichokes in half lengthwise. Set them, cut side down, on a platter or cutting board. Zest the lemon and reserve the zest. Slice the lemon in half. Crush the garlic. When the water is boiling, squeeze the lemons and drop the rinds into the water. Add the salt, pepper and garlic. Gently lower the artichoke halves into the boiling water and lower the heat to simmer. Cook until the leaves pull away when gently tugged, 15 to 20 minutes, turning the artichokes over halfway through. Remove the artichokes with tongs and drain on a towel. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard the fuzzy choke and brush the cut side with olive oil. Place them cutside down on the grill and cook about 3 minutes, until grill-marks form. Serve the artichokes on a platter with melted butter or aioli. Method -Trim the artichoke as you would for any recipe, removing the toughest, outermost leaves, trimming the top, and snipping off the spiky ends of each leaf. -Steam or boil the artichokes until tender. Again, follow any recipe for cooking artichokes that we mentioned above. -Drain the artichokes and cut them in half, lengthwise. -Scoop out the choke, which will be exposed and visible once you slice open the artichoke. -Brush the cut surface with olive oil and grill it (a grill pan will work fine, too) just until you get some char marks. -Drizzle with a vinaigrette or herbed, melted butter. 2
Artichokes, Hard Cooked Eggs and Capers with Chives 4 large or 8 small artichokes, blanched 1 onion, finely chopped 25g capers, well washed and rinsed 1 cup finely chopped spring herbs (parsley, tarragon, chives and chervil) 3 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 cup extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper 4 eggs, hardboiled 4 tbsp chives, finely sliced Method Soak the chopped onion in water for 5 minutes, rinse and place in a food processor with the capers, chopped herbs and vinegar. Turn it on and slowly add the olive oil in a fine stream to produce a mayonnaise-like sauce. Finish by adding salt and pepper to taste. Place in a container and store in the refrigerator until needed. Open the heads of the blanched artichokes by pulling their leaves back and cut their bases so they sit upright. Arrange on serving plates with slices of the hardboiled eggs. Drizzle the sauce over and finish with a sprinkling of chopped chives. 3
Spring Niçoise Salad Serves 4 6 baby beets, greens removed and washed 2-1 2 Tbs. red-wine vinegar; more as needed 1 lemon, halved, plus 1 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice 8 baby artichokes, trimmed 1 cup plus 4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 1 4 cup dry white wine 2 sprigs fresh thyme Red pepper flakes Kosher salt 3 4 lb. new potatoes 1 clove garlic, pounded to a smooth paste with a pinch of salt 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard 1 large egg yolk 1 lb. tuna, such as yellowfin or ahi, cut into even slices about 1 inch thick Freshly ground black pepper 2 not-so-hard-cooked eggs, peeled 1 handful arugula, preferably wild, or young dandelion (about 1 oz. total), washed and dried 4
Heat the oven to 350º F. Put the beets in a single layer in a baking dish. Add water to come about 1/2 inch up the side of the dish. Cover with foil and roast until the beets can be pierced with a sharp knife, about 45 minutes. When cool, peel and cut them into 1/2-inch wedges, and toss with 1 Tbs. of the vinegar and salt to taste; let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Squeeze the juice of the lemon halves into it. Trim off the top quarter of the artichokes and snap off the tough outer leaves. Using a small, sharp knife, peel the stem and the base of the artichokes, then cut them in half and scoop out the choke with a spoon. As you finish trimming each artichoke, drop it into the bowl of water and lemon juice to prevent browning. Just before cooking, drain the artichokes well. Warm a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 4 cup olive oil, the artichokes, wine, 1 2 cup water, the thyme, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season with salt and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the artichokes are tender when pierced at the base with a small, sharp knife, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the artichokes. If the liquid evaporates before the artichokes are tender, add a splash more water. Let cool at room temperature and then taste for salt. Put the potatoes in a shallow baking dish or pan just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with 1 Tbs. oil, season with a generous amount of salt, and toss well. Add a splash of water (just enough to create a little steam as the potatoes cook). Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a small, sharp knife, 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Remove from the oven, vent the foil, and let cool at room temperature. To make the vinaigrette, combine the garlic, mustard, 1-1/2 Tbs. vinegar, and 1 Tbs. lemon juice in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the egg yolk, and then slowly whisk in 3 4 cup oil. Thin the vinaigrette with a few drops of cool water if necessary (you want it thin enough to drizzle nicely.) Taste and adjust with more salt or vinegar if necessary. Set aside. Shortly before serving, halve or quarter the potatoes (depending on size and preference) and season with about 1-1 2 Tbs. of the vinaigrette. Set aside. Season the tuna on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Warm a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over high heat until very hot. Add 3 Tbs. oil and place the tuna in the skillet. Cook, without moving, until seared and nicely browned, about 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness of the tuna. Turn and cook on the opposite side for another 2 to 3 minutes. (The tuna should be pink in the center.) Transfer to a plate and set aside. Drain any liquid from the artichokes and discard the thyme. Cut the eggs into quarters and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Scatter about half of the arugula around a large platter or individual plates. Tuck the potatoes, artichokes, beets, and eggs in and around the greens. Using your hands, break the tuna into rustic pieces, or slice it with a 5
knife and nestle it in and around the other ingredients. Drizzle about 1 4 cup vinaigrette over the platter, or about a Tbs. over individual portions, and serve immediately, passing the remaining vinaigrette at the table. Make Ahead Tips You can cook the new potatoes, artichokes, beets, and eggs up to a day in advance and refrigerate, but wait to make the vinaigrette shortly before serving. If you refrigerate any element, be sure to let it come to room temperature before finishing the salad. Edamame and Artichoke Appetizer Ingredients Yields: 12 servings 1 pound frozen puff pastry dough (store-bought) ½ cup frozen shelled edamame beans, thawed 6 ounces chopped artichoke hearts, thawed 2 shallots, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons curly parsley, chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil ½ teaspoon paprika 6
¾ cup plain yogurt ¼ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed ¼ cup Pecorino cheese, finely grated Baking the puff pastry: Place a silicon mat a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray. This next step is optional and purely aesthetic. Cut each puff pastry square into squares (about the size of your palm). Using a fluted cutter wheel, make 4 even-length cuts to get 5 columns. To shape the chebakia-style appetizer, take column 1, 3 and 5 using your middle and ring fingers of one hand, then using your other hand, flip column 2 and 4 inside out to obtain a flower shape. Place on the baking tray. Pinch the outer corner to flatten the appetizer. Bake for 5 minutes at 375 F; lower the temperature to 350 F and bake for another 13 minutes. The texture of the puff pastry should be very flaky. Making the artichoke filling: Using a cheese cloth, strain out the excess whey of the yogurt for at least 15 minutes (that way the spread will have a lower water content for creamier consistency). In a small pan, heat the oil. Add the shallots and garlic. Pan-fry until golden and crispy. Turn off the heat. Add the parsley and paprika. Place the artichoke and edamame in a food processor. Add fresh basil and the fried shallots, garlic and parsley mixture. Season wtih salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Scrape the sides periodically to ensure even texture. Add the yogurt and Pecorino cheese. Manually mix the spread. Chill until ready to serve. Assembly: Remove the artichoke filling from the refrigerator ahead of time to bring it back to room temperature. Adjust seasoning. Add more salt if necessary. Drizzle with lemon juice. Mix well. Using 2 teaspoons, gather one portion of the artichoke filling in one spoon. Scrape the loose mixture from the sides using the other spoon and fill in the cavity of each puff pastry. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately. 7
Baked Orzo With Artichokes and Peas Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times This is a Greek-inspired pastitsio, a comforting béchamel-enriched mix of orzo, artichokes and peas. Rather than butter, the béchamel in this dish is made with a couple of glugs of good extra virgin olive oil. INGREDIENTS 1 recipe olive oil béchamel Juice of 1 lemon 4 small globe artichokes or 2 large globe artichokes 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 large garlic cloves, minced, or 1 small bulb of green garlic, minced ¾ pound orzo (about 1 2/3 cups) ¾cup shelled fresh peas (about 1 pound in the shells) 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill 2 ounces Parmesan, grated (1/2 cup) 8
PREPARATION 1. Make the béchamel and set aside. 2. Prepare the artichokes. Fill a bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Cut away the stem and the top third of each artichoke, break off the leaves and trim them down to the bottoms, placing them in the water as you go along. Quarter them and slice large quarters about 1/4 inch thick. Save the leaves and steam them; serve them as a first course or a side dish. 3. Drain the artichoke hearts and dry on a clean dish towel. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add the sliced artichoke hearts and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn down the heat and add the garlic. Cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and remove from the heat. 4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and add the orzo. Cook 5 minutes, add the peas and continue to boil for another 4 minutes, until the orzo is just tender but still firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the artichokes, herbs, béchamel and Parmesan and stir together until the sauce coats all of the other ingredients. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. 5. Place in the oven and bake 30 minutes, until lightly colored on top. Tip Advance preparation: You can prepare the béchamel and the artichokes a day ahead and keep in the refrigerator. Gently reheat the sauce and whisk well before assembling the pastitsio. The assembled casserole can sit for several hours before baking. 9
Roasted Fennel and Artichoke Hearts SERVINGS: 2 INGREDIENTS 1 fennel bulb (12 ounces), cut into 3/4-inch wedges, 1 tablespoon fronds reserved for garnish 1 can whole artichoke hearts in water (13.75 ounces), drained, patted dry, and cut in half lengthwise 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley 10
DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange fennel and artichokes on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables until caramelized on both sides, about 35 minutes, tossing after 20 minutes. 2. Drizzle with remaining oil and the lemon juice. Add parsley, and toss to combine. Garnish with fennel fronds. 11