Artichoke Bottoms With Shrimp And Citrus Salsa Food

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.

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.

ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS WITH SHRIMP AND CITRUS SALSA

Steps:

• Fill large nonreactive pot with cold water. Quarter two lemons; squeeze juice into water, and add quarters to pot. Trim one artichoke at a time, cutting stem to one-half inch. Remove leaves down to fuzzy choke, and neatly trim bottom of green exterior. Transfer artichoke to water. Repeat for all artichokes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, and 1 tablespoon oil. Cover, bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer. Cook, covered, over low heat until tender when pierced in center, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain.
• Meanwhile, cook shrimp in boiling water until opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain; place under cool running water to stop cooking. Cut into three-quarter-inch pieces. Set aside.
• When artichokes are cool, 15 to 20 minutes, scoop choke; discard. Neatly trim artichoke bottoms; transfer to shallow container. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, 2 tablespoons juice from remaining lemon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Coat artichokes in mixture. May be refrigerated up to one day ahead.
• Place the artichokes on a serving dish or platter. Arrange a small lettuce leaf on top of each artichoke. Fill each with shrimp and salsa.

ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS WITH WHITE WINE DUXELLES

Steps:

• Peel leaves from artichokes. Remove chokes with a spoon and discard. Trim bottoms so the edges are smooth. If necessary cut small slices from stem ends so the artichokes will sit upright. Rub all over with lemon juice to prevent discoloration.
• In a 10-inch ceramic quiche dish heat the butter, uncovered, at 100 percent power for 1 minute in a large oven, or 2 minutes 30 seconds in a small oven. Add shallots, mushrooms and tomato and stir. Cook, uncovered, at 100 percent power for 3 minutes in a large oven, or 4 minutes and 30 seconds in a small oven.
• Add the wine. Cook, uncovered, at 100 percent power for 5 minutes in a large oven, or 8 minutes in a small one, until most of the wine has evaporated. Remove from oven. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper.
• Set artichoke bottoms in a circle on a 10-inch platter. Mound a quarter of the mushroom mixture in the well of each artichoke. Heat, uncovered, at 100 percent power for 2 minutes in a large oven or 3 minutes in a small one. Serve immediately.

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.