Here is more information about artichokes than you probably ever cared to know. The artichoke originated in Southern Europe around the Mediterranean. The origins of the artichoke is unknown, but are have said to come from North Africa where they are still found in the wild state. Artichokes were cultivated in Sicily during the Greek occupation and Greeks call them kaktos. The Romans called the vegetable carduus. The blossom of the thistle, improved by the Arabs, passed from Naples to Florence in 1466. Around 1480 it was noticed in Venice as a curiosity. The Dutch also introduced artichokes to England where they grew in Henry VIII's garden at Newhall in 1530. In the 19th century they were brought to the United States to Louisiana by French immigrants and to California by Spanish immigrants.
Apart from food use, the globe artichoke is also an attractive plant for its bright floral display sometimes grown in borders for its bold foliage and large purple flower heads. I like to use artichokes placed in a large beautiful bowl with pomegranates and leaves for a centerpiece.
Our interest, is purely in cooking and eating, so lets get on with the cooking part. Artichokes have little thorns on the end of the leaves, so you need to take kitchen scissors and cut off the throned tips of all the leaves. Slice about 3/4-inch off the tip of the artichoke and pull off any smaller leaves towards the base on the stem. If you've never prepared one, don't worry you will do fine.
Steamed Artichokes: Cut off any excess stem up to an inch on the artichoke. Rinse you chokes in cold water. Place in a large pot with a couple inches of water, and a few slices of lemon. Place artichokes on a steam basket and bring to boil and simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes or until outer leaves can easily be pulled off. I don't like to cover them as sometimes the acids will turn brown due to oxidation. You can eat these wonderful morsels either cold or hot. Served with a dip or melted butter, hollandaise, mayonnaise or other sauces of your choice. Pull off the outer petals one at a time. Dip the white fleshly end in butter and place in your mouth, then pull gently through your teeth to remove the soft pulpy portion of the petal or leaf. Discard the rest on your plate. With a knife or spoon, scrape out and discard the fuzzy inside part called the choke. The remaining bottom of the artichoke is the heart. Cut into pieces and dip into butter or sauce. For hollandaise sauce recipe, see my breakfast blog.
In Italy, artichoke hearts in oil are usually served in the springtime. In Spain tender smaller artichokes are sprinkled with olive oil and left in hot ashes in a barbecue, then sauteed with olive oil and garlic, or served in a frittata or paella. I also found out that in Italy they use artichoke as a primary flavor of the liqueur, Cynar. Cynar is a bitter aperitif liqueur made from 13 herbs and plants. It's dark brown in color, with a bittersweet flavor and is 33 proof. It's mainly served over ice and mixed with fresh orange juice.
The artichoke is of nutritional value because of its exhibiting aid to digestion and strengthening of liver function, gall bladder function and raising the HDL/LDL ratio. This reduces cholesterol levels which diminish risk of heart disease. So if your kids don't like artichokes tell them about all the health benefits or just slather on the hollandaise sauce and eat up.
I hope you enjoy the recipes listed below, and you can always use fresh, canned or frozen in any of the recipes below.
Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms - this recipe is from my niece Deborah G. in WA state and they are delicious
2 cans artichoke bottoms, drained
11 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. fresh oregano, minced
2 tsp. fresh chives, minced
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
Note: you can also purchase the cream cheese with chives already in it
Pat dry your artichoke bottoms. In a bowl, mix cream cheese with electric mixer, gently fold in garlic, oregano and chives. Spread on the bottom of the artichokes and place in a greased baking dish. Sprinkle over the Parmesan cheese and bake in 350 degree oven for 22 to 26 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Deborah said, in addition, you could also mix in lump crab meat with the cream cheese mixture if desired. She also said if you use crab, omit the oregano. I made these and used a bit of fresh lemon zest and a splash of lemon juice mixed in with the cream cheese mixture and crab. They were yummy, thanks Deb.
Artichoke Chicken (recipe from my mom, Dorothy)
8 skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 cans artichoke hearts, drained (do not use marinated)
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chicken stock (good quality)
1 cup dry white wine (good quality or something you will drink)
Cook egg noodles
Butter, melted
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
olive oil
Rinse chicken pieces in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan, add small amount of olive oil and butter. Cook chicken breasts until browned, do not overcrowd you might have to cook in two batches. Remove browned chicken to a 13x9 baking pan. Add sliced mushroom to pan and cook until lightly browned, remove and place on chicken in pan. Add artichokes on top of mushrooms. Saute onion in pan with garlic until softened. Blend in flour and cook for about 1 minute, add rosemary, thyme, chicken stock and wine to make a sauce, taste and adjust seasonings. Cook this mixture until thickened and bubbly. Spoon over chicken in pan. cover with foil and bake in 250 degree oven for about 1 hour. To serve; Cook noodles, drain, add a little butter, salt and pepper to noodles, stir around add some parsley and stir. Place noodles on platter, place chicken on top and pour on sauce. Sprinkle with additional parsley.
Artichoke Tea Sandwiches - these great little Southern sandwiches are perfect for tea parties, church functions, luncheons - you get the idea
2 (14 oz.) cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup mayonnaise, possibly more depending on your taste
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
3 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup sweet white or red onion, finely minced
3 Tbl. Italian parsley, minced
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper
soft white sandwich bread, crusts removed
butter, softened if desired (to spread on bread pieces)
In a bowl add all ingredients except bread, mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings. Refrigerate a couple of hours to blend flavors. You can use round biscuit cutters to cut bread into circles or cut into triangles. Lay bread on work surface add a little artichoke mixture to each piece of bread and add other piece of bread on top. If cutting into triangles, use a sharp serrated knife and cut bread diagonally to make triangles. Transfer to platter, and cover with plastic wrap.
Artichoke and Scallop Chowder - wonderful
3 Tbl. butter
3 leeks, finely chopped, do not use green part
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
3 cups clam juice
3 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cans artichoke hearts, drained or use fresh that you have steamed (do not use the marinated ones)
3 lbs. scallops
2 -3 large russet potatoes, peeled and large chop
salt and freshly ground black pepper
dash of cayenne
2 Tbl. fresh chives, snipped
In a large Dutch oven, melt butter and add leeks and garlic, cooking until softened. Add lemon juice and simmer for 2 minutes. Add clam juice, and potatoes and cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add heavy cream and cook about 10 minutes. Add artichokes, season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Keep on simmer and add scallops cook for about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. If the chowder is not thick enough, stir together 1 tsp. cornstarch and small amount of water, add to chowder and cook a few minutes to thicken up. To serve; ladle into bowls and add snipped chives.
Artichoke Baguettes
1 baguette
1 stick butter, melted
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 egg whites
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
(2) 15 oz. cans artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1/2 cup Italian parsley, minced
Slice baguettes on diagonal about 1/2-inch thick. Brush baguette slices with melted butter and place on baking sheet. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. In a bowl of electric mixer, add egg whites and salt and beat until stiff. Fold in mayonnaise, Worcestershire and cheddar cheese. Place artichoke quarters on baguette and cover with cheese mixture, sprinkle on Parmesan. Broil until golden brown and bubbly, be sure to keep an eye on bread so it doesn't burn. Remove from oven, sprinkle on parsley and serve immediately.
Easy Artichoke Lobster Newburg
2 (15 oz.) cans artichoke hearts, drained (do not use marinated artichokes)
2 1/2 cups cream of mushroom soup - I make homemade, but you can use canned
1/4 cup onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 Tbl. sherry (good quality)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups lobster, cooked and chopped
1 cup sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 cups long grain white rice, cooked
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small saute pan, add little bit of butter, add onion and garlic and cook until softened. In a bowl mix onion, garlic, soup, sherry, salt and pepper. Arrange artichoke heats and lobster in 2 quart baking dish. Add soup mixture and top with cheddar cheese, then Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with cooked rice, sprinkle with parsley.
Artichoke Gratin
2 (15 oz) cans artichokes hearts, drained (you can certainly use fresh or frozen as well)
3 scallions, chopped including green part
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 Tbl. all purpose flour
2 Tbl. butter
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup chicken stock (good quality)
2 Tbl. dry sherry (good quality)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place artichokes and scallions in greased 1 1/2 to 2 qt baking dish. In a saute pan, add butter and melt, whisk in four, season with salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in chicken stock and cream until nice and smooth. Blend in Gruyere cheese, and sherry, taste and adjust seasonings. Pour over artichokes and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until hot and bubbly. You can also place under broiler for 1 minute. Remove and sprinkle with parsley.
Artichoke Frittata
6 eggs
2 Tbl. whipping cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 red potatoes, sliced
6 slices bacon, chopped
2 (8 1/2 oz) cans artichoke hearts, drained
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
3 scallions, sliced including green part
Italian parsley, chopped
In a 11-inch saute pan, add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Remove most of the bacon grease from pan and add potatoes and garlic and fry potatoes until tender and browned. Remove from heat. Combine artichokes, olives, and green onion to potatoes and cook for about 3 minutes, add back in cooked bacon and flatten down mixture.
In a bowl, combine eggs, cream, salt, pepper and cheese, stir well. Pour egg mixture over vegetables in saute pan and cook without stirring until set about 1/4-inch around outer edge. With a spatula, lift some of the egg mixture from sides of pan and let uncooked egg flow to bottom. Continue cooking until top is almost set. Invert a large round flat plate bigger than the saute pan over frying pan. Holding two together (be careful) turn frittata onto plate, then back into pan so now uncooked portion is on bottom of frying pan. Cook another 2 minutes, invert on to serving plate, slice into wedges, sprinkle with parsley and serve. Note: If you don't want to try the turning out the frittata, you can place saute pan in oven for a few minutes on 350 degrees and let continue cooking that way.
Grilled Artichokes
4 large artichokes
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbl. fresh ginger, peeled, minced
Slice artichoke tops off crosswise. Trim stems. Steam artichokes until bottoms pierce easily and petals peel off easily. Drain and cool. Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise and scrape out fuzzy center.
In a ziplock bag, place remaining ingredients and add artichokes to bag and coat. Marinate at least 2 hours or better to marinate overnight in frig. Drain and place cut side down on a grill on medium heat. Grill until lightly browned on cut side about 7 minutes. Turn artichokes over and drizzle remaining marinade over. Grill until petal tips are lightly charred about 4 minutes. Serve either hot or room temp. You can make up a nice antipasto platter to add these artichokes too with cheeses such as; goat, chunks of Parmesan, feta or mozzarella, meats, such as; prosciutto, salami, capicola, smoked salmon, assorted olives, marinated vegetables, such as; roasted red peppers, pepperoncini, marinated mushrooms, grape tomatoes, and dried fruits, such as; apricots, figs and dates.
Another way I like using artichokes is to make a big platter of Fettuccine Alfredo and add sauteed chicken and artichokes to it, sometimes stirring in a little pesto. You can also use artichokes in Pasta Primivera or another good way is heat up a large saute pan, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup good olive oil, lots of chopped garlic and some red pepper flakes, saute until garlic is softened then stir in some fresh artichokes that you steamed, add your cooked pasta, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, pour on a platter and add fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
The next artichoke recipes are for dips. Most of us have the same hot crab/artichoke dip or artichoke/spinach dip, but just in case you don't here they are. Also, think about adding some curry powder or salmon to your dip. Do you make hummus? If so, try adding some canned drained and chopped artichokes to your hummus the addition is very good. Keep in mind all these dips double easily, because when people start eating them, the dips go fast. Serve with toasted baguette slices, crackers, or crudites.
Hot Artichoke and Green Chili Dip
2 cans artichokes, drained and chopped (not marinated)
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies
Tabasco, to taste
3 Tbl. fresh cilantro, chopped
In a baking dish, add all ingredients, mix well and bake in 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly, or about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cilantro.
Hot Artichoke and Crab Dip
2 cans artichokes, drained and chopped
1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 cup mayonnaise
1 package cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups crab meat
2 Tbl. Italian parsley, chopped
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a saute pan, add some olive oil and saute garlic for about 2 minutes. Place all ingredients into baking dish, including garlic and mix well. Cook for about 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley.
Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach
2 cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 sour cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup Pepper Jack cheese, grated
2 Tbl. Italian parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thaw spinach and squeeze out excess moisture in a clean kitchen towel. In a bowl, add spinach and all other ingredients except jack cheese and stir well. Place into baking dish and sprinkle over Jack cheese. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with parsley.
Easy White Artichoke Pizzas
4 Nan breads or pita breads or use fresh pizza dough
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 cup roasted red peppers, drained and sliced
1 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
2 cups Ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese, grated
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
4 garlic cloves, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
red pepper flakes (optional)
In small saute pan, add some olive oil and garlic, add red pepper flakes if desired and cook for about 2 minutes until garlic is softened. Place breads on baking sheet. Spread each one with 1/2 cup Ricotta cheese, then 1/2 cup each mozzarella cheese. Top with cooked garlic, artichokes, red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and bake in 350 degree oven until hot about 18 minutes. Remove and cut into appetizer pieces.
I love marinated artichoke hearts, but not the ones in the jar from the store. Here is a simple recipe for them.
Marinated Artichoke Hearts
1 box frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (good quality nice fruity variety)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest
Rinse artichoke hearts in cold water. In a saucepan, add all ingredients, except lemon juice and zest. Over medium low heat, cook stirring occasionally about 15 minutes. Do not break up artichokes. Let cool to room temperature and then stir in lemon juice and zest. Cover and place in frig for up to 1 week.
Bon Appetit
"Good understanding produces favor"
Proverbs 13: 15
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