Kitchen Skills

The Heart of Artichoke Prep

Patience is rewarded when you get to the delicious heart of artichokes

BY JASON ROSS

PHOTOGRAPHY TERRY BRENNAN FOOD STYLING LARA MIKLASEVICS

Artichokes, the flower bud of a large green thistle, are a springtime delicacy grown in arid regions around the world. There are many preparations—poached and eaten leaf by leaf, pulling small morsels with each bite; stuffed and baked in a steamy sauce; fried whole; or canned and pickled in brine. But first, all artichokes come with a bit of labor (see page 8).

In the restaurant world, cooks have benchmarks for skills including omelet cooking, chicken cutting skills (there are a lot) and artichoke turning—or trimming down to the edible heart. The technique requires a little patience the first few tries, but the result is elegant and gives the diner the best part—the heart of the artichoke, ready to eat.

Here I walk you through tips on trimming artichokes down to the heart, and then you can use them in a recipe featuring a classic Provençal method in which they are braised in white wine and olive oil.

Trimming Artichokes

See the instructions on page 8 for paring artichokes down to their hearts.

Artichokes Barigoule

MAKES 2 TO 4 SERVINGS

This Provençal delicacy is such an elegant and vibrant way to serve artichokes. They are enlivened by white wine, aromatic herbs and olive oil. Use this as an appetizer (think of it as a warm salad), or as an accompaniment to a main course, such as grilled fish. You could also use this as a nice topping for pasta finished with shaved Parmesan cheese. If you cannot find fresh artichokes, or do not have time to deal with turning them, frozen artichokes would be a reasonable substitute, though perhaps not as special, and would have a more subdued flavor and softer texture.

¼ cup olive oil

1 cup sliced (¼ inch) carrots

1 cup sliced (¼ inch) white onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1 sprig fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dry

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

4 artichoke hearts trimmed in lemon water (and stems, if there are any)

½ cup white wine

¾ cup water or unseasoned chicken broth

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1. In a medium sauce pot, warm the olive oil on medium heat. Add the carrots, onions, garlic, bay leaf and thyme. Sprinkle on salt and pepper. Sweat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently with a wooden spoon until the onions start to soften and become translucent without browning.

2. Snuggle the artichoke hearts (and any stems, if using) into the pan and under the sweated vegetables. Try to get the artichokes warmed with olive oil by carefully rotating them in the pan.

3. After 2 to 3 minutes add the wine. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute to remove the raw alcohol flavor. Then add the water or chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low. Cook the artichokes at a low simmer, covered with a lid, for 15 minutes, stirring gently once after 7 or 8 minutes.

4. Remove the lid, and cook for another 5 minutes until the artichokes are tender, and the cooking liquid has thickened to a rich broth. The artichokes should be soft enough for the tip of a knife to easily penetrate, similar in feel to a boiled potato.

5. Serve the artichokes in a shallow bowl, spooning the cooking liquid over the top and removing the bay leaf and thyme. Finish with lemon juice and minced parsley. The artichokes can be served warm or cooled to room temperature. They are best eaten the same nutrition day but could be covered and (per serving) refrigerated for up to 1 day, but

ARTICHOKES BARIGOULE there might be a color shift from CALORIES: 260, FAT: 14G (SAT: 2 G), CHOLESTEROL: 0 MG, SODIUM: pale yellow to a little tinge of 420 MG, CARB: 28G, FIBER: 11G, grey-green. SUGAR: 5G, PROTEIN: 6G