Artichokes With Lemon Mint Dressing Recipes

WHOLE ARTICHOKES WITH LEMON-THYME DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Fill 5-quart saucepan two-thirds full with water. Heat to boiling.
• Use knife to trim thick stem at bottoms of each artichoke. Using scissors, snip off tips of leaves. Cut and discard 1 1/2 inches off top of each artichoke. Rinse artichokes thoroughly with cold running water, and transfer them to pan of boiling water. Add juice of 1 lemon and salt to taste. Cover; cook over medium-low heat about 45 minutes or until bottoms of artichokes are tender.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat dipping sauce ingredients with whisk until emulsified. Pour into dipping bowl, and set aside.
• Gently remove cooked artichokes from hot water and place upside down on cooling rack to drain 5 minutes. Turn right side up, and gently pull open tops of artichokes until you see pale yellow leaves, and pull those out to reveal the hairy choke. Use a spoon to scoop out the choke. Use your hands to gently close up the artichokes.
• To eat, pull off leaves starting at base, dip in sauce and bite off soft part found at base of each leaf. Discard remaining part of leaf. Once all leaves are gone, you will find the artichoke heart. Eat that part with the help of a fork and knife, dipping it in sauce.

LEMON MINT BRAISED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Squeeze 2 lemon halves into a large bowl of cold water.
• Cut off top inch of 1 artichoke and bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base (keep stem attached). Discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until you reach pale yellow leaves.
• Cut off remaining leaves 1/2 inch above top of artichoke base using a sharp knife, then pull out purple leaves and scoop out fuzzy choke with a melon-ball cutter. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and side of artichoke.
• Trim a thin slice from stem end, then trim side of stem down to pale green inner core. Rub cut surfaces with lemon halves, then put artichokes in lemon water.
• Trim remaining artichokes in same manner.
• Combine lemon juice, water (3 cups), oil, 3 tablespoons mint, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt in a 4-to 5-quarts heavy pot (wide enough to hold artichokes in 1 layer with stems pointing upward) and bring to a simmer.
• Stand artichokes, stem ends up, in liquid and cover with a round of parchment paper. Simmer, covered with parchment and lid, until just tender when artichoke bottom is pierced with a knife, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Transfer artichokes with a slotted spoon to a shallow serving dish. Boil cooking liquid until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 20 minutes. During last 2 minutes of boiling, whisk liquid until it emulsifies. Pour over artichokes and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons mint.
• What to drink:
• Yarden Galilee Cabernet Sauvignon '05