Artichoke Bottoms With Shrimp Lemon Butter And Herbed Breadcrumbs Recipe Finecooking

SAUTEED ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine and toss drained and rinsed artichoke bottoms with lemon juice. Set aside.
• In a large frying pan over medium heat, sweat onions in oil until translucent. Add tomatoes and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in Italian seasoning and shredded basil leaves. Add in artichoke bottoms with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover pan and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• To serve, remove artichoke bottoms and place on serving plate so the hollow side is up. Fill with tomato-onion mixture.

SHRIMP WITH ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• If the artichokes are small, trim the stem to within a half inch of the base and remove the tougher outer leaves. Cut each artichoke in eighths and place in a bowl. Toss with the lemon juice and cover with water. Set aside for 15 minutes. If you are using medium-size artichokes, trim the stem flush with the base and remove all the leaves. Using a sharp knife, cut away the center choke, leaving just the fleshy bottom or heart of the artichoke. Cut each in eighths and treat with the lemon as previously described.
• Drain the artichoke pieces.
• Heat half the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the artichokes, parsley and garlic, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring from time to time, about 20 minutes until the artichokes are lightly browned and tender when pierced with a sharp knife.
• When the artichokes are tender, remove them from the skillet. Season the flour with salt and pepper to taste and toss the shrimp in the flour to coat them lightly. Add the remaining oil to the skillet and increase the heat to medium.
• Add the shrimp to the skillet and stir-fry a minute or two, until they turn pink. Pour in the wine. Cook, stirring, until the wine just films the bottom of the pan. Return the artichokes to the pan, stir, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

SHRIMP-STUFFED ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Drain and arrange artichoke bottoms in a buttered glass pie dish.
• In a sauce pan, melt butter and blend in flour. Stir in heavy cream and cook over low medium-low heat until sauce thickens. Add sherry and shrimp, then cheese and salt. Cook until cheese melts. Pour this mixture over artichoke bottoms and bake for 20 minutes.
• Serve immediately.

BUTTERED ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS

Steps:

• Place each artichoke on a flat surface on its side and cut away the stems. Cut away bottom leaves, holding a sharp knife perpendicular to the base. This should leave a clean, leafless base.
• Cut away the top leaves, leaving a base about one inch thick. Trim all around the top and bottom of each base to remove the green portions.
• Put flour in a small sieve and hold the sieve over a small saucepan. Pour the water over the flour, stirring to dissolve the flour. Add salt to taste.
• Put the artichoke bottoms into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Let simmer 20 minutes until tender but not mushy. Remove from the heat.
• When cool enough to handle, remove the fuzzy ''choke'' in the center of each artichoke bottom, using fingers or a spoon.
• Heat the butter in a small skillet and add the artichoke bottoms. Cook, turning the bottoms in the hot butter, about two minutes or until very lightly browned on all sides.

ARTICHOKES STUFFED WITH LEMON-GARLIC BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix breadcrumbs and oil in medium bowl. Spread mixture on large rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden on edges, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in lemon juice, oregano, garlic and lemon peel. Season with salt and pepper.
• Drain artichokes. Gently pull leaves outward from center until leaves open slightly. Fill artichoke cavities with bread stuffing. Pack stuffing between leaves. Place artichokes in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Dot tops with butter. Pour 1/2 cup water into dish.
• Cover dish with foil; bake until wooden skewer pierces artichokes easily, adding more water as necessary, about 40 minutes. Remove foil. Continue baking until tops are golden, about 20 minutes.
• Serve with lemon wedges.

LEMON SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium high. Combine the breadcrumbs and 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat; cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool. Stir in the lemon zest, grated garlic and cheese; set aside.
• Tear off 4 large sheets of heavy-duty foil. Divide the artichoke hearts among the sheets. Season with salt and top each with an oregano sprig and a few lemon slices; add a tablespoon of butter to each. Season the shrimp with salt and place on top of the lemon slices. Sprinkle the shrimp with the red pepper flakes, parsley and minced garlic; drizzle with the vermouth and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Bring two opposite ends of the foil together and fold twice to seal. Fold in the other sides and seal, leaving room for heat to circulate.
• Grill the foil packets until the shrimp are just cooked through and the mixture is saucy, about 10 minutes. Carefully open the packets and sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.