Baby artichokes aren’t “baby” really; it just refers to size, which is a result of where they grow on the plant. These come from lower down the stem inside the vegetation. For this recipe, the “chokes should be smaller, but this recipe will work just as well with medium sized artichokes.
INGREDIENTS:
1 lemon cut in half
2 cloves garlic, peeled and de-germed, minced
1 small brown onion, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon thyme, oregano, marjoram or a mixture of the above
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 cup dry white wine such as Chenin Blanc
2 cup vegetable or chicken stock, or water
¼ cup olive oil
METHOD:
As the artichokes are trimmed, toss into a bowl of water that contains the juice of the lemon.
When trimmed, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Heat the olive oil and when hot, add the onion and begin to cook.
Drain the artichokes well. When the onions are soft, add the garlic. Watch that it does not burn. When it is soft and aromatic, add the artichokes. Beware of splattering oil from residual water of the leaves! Toss to mix the onions, garlic, and artichokes. Add the herbs and season. Sauté to color the ‘chokes a bit and soften them a little.
Add the wine and turn the heat up. Bring the wine to a boil and reduce the wine by 80 percent.
Add the stock and or water. Bring to a boil and cook two minutes.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and put the lid on the pan. Simmer until the artichokes are firm but tender.
Remove the artichokes from the liquid. If you are serving these as a cold preparation, allow the liquid to cool and then pour it over the artichokes. If you are serving these hot, reduce any remaining liquid to an almost syrupy consistency and pour over the artichokes. Serve and enjoy.
Chef’s Notes:
This is a basic recipe and there are so many things you can do from here! I like to add fava beans to the braise, and sometimes I’ll sauté carrots with the onions. You can braise the artichokes until just about done earlier in the day or the night before, and then heat them as a sauté just before service. Sauté asparagus tips with the artichokes, or mushrooms. Add tomatoes and toss with fresh pappardelle noodles.
Just before they are done, add cream and boil to thicken, remove from the heat and pull out the vegetables. Whisk 2 egg yolks with a Tbsp of water and some lemon juice, and vigorously whisk this into the slightly cooled cream for an over the top rich sauce. Use these braised artichokes as part of an accompaniment for grilled fish or chicken. Once you have learned this technique, you’ll find all sorts of ways to use it.
SERVES 4
SOURCE: Chef Andrew Cohen
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
