Fresh artichokes herald the start of spring
Though the weather still seems unsure if it is winter, spring or
summer, I decided to move the meals squarely into the next season
with a few artichoke dishes.
Artichokes have been showing up in the grocery store and at Bay
Area farmers markets so it seemed like a good time to cook some up.
The vegetable comes into season in spring. For the one recipe
below, instead of deep frying the artichokes as the recipe
described, I just steamed them up. The thing that really makes the
recipe is the Meyer lemon aioli, which is made as a dipping sauce
for the artichokes. The sweet lemon flavor and the garlic paste
pair perfectly with the little bit of flesh on the end of each
artichoke leaf.
Fresh artichokes herald the start of spring
Though the weather still seems unsure if it is winter, spring or summer, I decided to move the meals squarely into the next season with a few artichoke dishes.
Artichokes have been showing up in the grocery store and at Bay Area farmers markets so it seemed like a good time to cook some up. The vegetable comes into season in spring. For the one recipe below, instead of deep frying the artichokes as the recipe described, I just steamed them up. The thing that really makes the recipe is the Meyer lemon aioli, which is made as a dipping sauce for the artichokes. The sweet lemon flavor and the garlic paste pair perfectly with the little bit of flesh on the end of each artichoke leaf.
The second recipe called for canned artichokes, which I used because it seemed like an awful lot of work to get enough fresh artichoke hearts to make the recipe. We picked artichokes canned in water instead of oil, so they’d be a little bit healthier. The recipe includes lots of vegetables as well as three types of cheese for a decadent casserole that combines the vegetables of spring with a warm dish for days that are still a little cold. The last recipe is a simple dish that is often served up in restaurants as an appetizer. It’s perfect for entertaining indoors until the weather warms up a bit more.
Spinach, mushroom and artichoke casserole
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus 2 tsp.
3/4 c. chopped yellow onions
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 lb. button mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
2 (10-oz.) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 (14-oz.) cans artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 (15-oz.) container ricotta
1 c. grated Monterey jack
1/2 c. crumbled feta
6 eggs
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 c. dried bread crumbs
1/2 c. Parmesan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter and set aside.
In a large skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook until they give up their liquid, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, combine the spinach, artichoke hearts, mushroom mixture, ricotta, jack, and feta, and toss to combine.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, nutmeg, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add to the spinach mixture. Add the bread crumbs and mix well. Transfer to the prepared dish and top with a layer of Parmesan. Bake until the casserole is firm and the top is golden, about 45 to 50 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve.
Whole fried artichoke with Meyer lemon aioli
Recipe courtesy of Reed Hearon
4 large artichokes
2 qt. canola or peanut oil
1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
Meyer lemon aioli, recipe follows
To clean the artichokes peel off the outer tough green leaves. With a sharp knife cut across the top of the artichoke about a 1/2-inch to remove the sharp spines. With a long narrow spoon scoop out the center choke of the artichoke. With a small knife or a vegetable peeler, pare down the outside dark green exterior of the base and stem. Place in acidulated water and repeat process with other artichokes.
Drain artichokes well. Put oil in a tall pot and over medium heat fry the artichokes until they are slightly golden in color. Remove artichokes from oil and drain on paper towels. Turn temperature of oil up to medium high. Return artichokes to the oil and fry until they are completely opened and deep golden brown. Remove from oil, place face down on paper towels to let all the oil drain. Season with salt and pepper garnish with parsley leaves and serve warm with the aioli.
As an alternate, the artichokes can be steamed whole for 30 minutes. When served, the leaves can be peeled off and there will be a bit of flesh on the end of each leaf. When you get to the choke, scoop it out and enjoy the artichoke heart.
Meyer Lemon Aioli:
2 garlic clove
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg yolk
1 Meyer lemon, zested and juiced
1 c. olive oil
In a mortar, pound the garlic and salt to form a paste. Stir in the egg yolk, lemon zest, and juice until integrated. Add the olive oil in a slow trickle to the side of the mortar until completely combined.
Hot spinach and artichoke dip
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown
1 c. thawed, chopped frozen spinach
11/2 c. thawed, chopped frozen artichoke hearts
6 oz. cream cheese
1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Boil spinach and artichokes in 1 cup of water until tender and drain. Discard liquid. Heat cream cheese in microwave for 1 minute or until hot and soft. Stir in rest of ingredients and serve hot.
