Braised Artichokes and Gold Potatoes

This was a dish that occurred from a Tour du Fridge one year. I have done this using large artichokes as well as small ones. For the large ones, I trimmed everything away from the heart (saving the leaves and steaming them until done, and then eat them as you would from a whole artichoke) and cut it into cubes. For small artichokes I just followed the basic prep as in the recipe for Braised Baby Artichokes on the site right up to the cutting them into sixths. Either way works for this recipe. The potatoes and artichokes are a wonderful combination of flavors.

INGREDIENTS:

4-6 large artichokes, trimmed to the heart, or 12 small artichokes, prepped as for Braised Baby Artichokes. For large ‘chokes, cut the hearts into 1/4-inch cubes, whereas for small chokes cut into 6 radial slices

4-5 3 to 4-inch Yukon Gold (or similar) potato, trimmed to have straight sides, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup vegetable stock

3 sprigs fresh thyme or marjoram, leaves stripped and reserved, stems discarded

Neutral flavored oil as needed

2-3 tablespoons butter, cut into pea-sized buts and kept cold

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

Heat a 10-inch sauteuse over medium-high heat. When hot, coat pan generously with oil. When the oil is quite hot-it should be shivering on the surface- add the potatoes and artichokes, tossing to coat everything with oil. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are just turning golden.

Make a well in the center and add the onions. Cook until softened, then add the garlic and scatter the herbs over the vegetables. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, then toss to combine everything.

Season with salt and pepper, and add the stock. Simmer until the vegetables are tender. Use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables to a serving vessel and reduce the remaining liquid until it is thickening or ¼ cup remains, whichever comes first. Remove the pan from the heat and add in 2 tablespoons of the butter. Swirl the pan to melt the butter and emulsify it. If needed, add the rest of the butter to further thicken the sauce. Pour over the vegetables and serve.

Chef’s Notes: If this recipe appeals to you and you don’t have fresh artichokes to play with, use frozen baby artichokes or canned hearts. Be sure to defrost if frozen, or rinse if canned. This certainly makes this dish quicker and easier.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen