Artichokes A La Polita Food

ARTICHOKES A LA POLITA

Steps:

• Slice the stem of the artichokes and remove the outer leaves. Carefully remove core ('choke') including fuzzy/prickly stuff of artichoke Rub each artichoke with a lemon and put all of them in bowl full of water. You will be left with just the 'heart'.
• Cut the potatoes and the spring onions in medium sized slices.
• Slice the carrots and saute them together briefly with the spring onions in a saucepan with the oil.
• Add the artichokes and the potatoes, the dill, the lemon juice, salt, pepper and enough water to cover them. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for 1/2 hour or until tender.
• Remove from pan with slotted to spoon to serving platter; discarding dill. Sprinkle with fresh dill, salt & pepper.

PEAS AND ARTICHOKES à LA POLITA

Steps:

• Before you start, make sure all your fresh veggies are washed, especially the leeks.
• In a large pot on medium high heat, add your olive oil.
• Then add onions, garlic, scallions, leeks, parsley, and dill. Sauté until onions are transluscent. Season with some salt and pepper.
• Add the carrots. Sauté for 2 minutes.
• Now add peas and stir them so as to cover them with the juices in the pot. Season again generously.
• Add enough water to cover the peas and bring to a boil.
• Add the artichokes (you may halve them). Add a bit more water, and bring to a boil.
• Check for salt.
• Then, reduce heat to medium and cover halfway.
• Cook for about 45 min to an hour, or until peas are tender and take on a pale green hue.
• Check regularly for liquid. When it is done cooking, there should be some juice left. Tilt the pot. There should be about 2 cups of liquid left over.
• Take off the heat. If you wanna use flour as a thickening agent, just ladle out a little bit of the cooking liquid in a bowl. In it, mix in about a tablespoon of flour with a fork, and add it back to the pot. Fold in the sloshy stuff gently into the food so it incorporates evenly. Taste it! If you want it thicker, complete the same step, except use water or even juice of a whole lemon as liquid. At this point you can basically adjust it to YOUR liking.
• If you use cornstarch as the thickening agent, don't use the cooking liquid for the sloshy mixture. Instead just use your lemon juice.
• Remember to make it as thick or as acidic as you want. You really can't mess up here. Even if you put too much liquid you can reduce it by turning on the low heat knob.
• Eat with some feta or drizzle some olive oil on top (totally optional).