Artichokes With Horseradish Butter Food

ARTICHOKES WITH PARMESAN BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil with the lemon halves. Cut the stalk off the artichokes. Drop them into the water and boil for 40-45 mins.
• Dice the butter. Pour the wine into a pan, reduce by half, reduce heat and whisk in the butter one small piece at a time. Whisk in the Parmesan and lemon juice.
• To eat, pull off the leaves, dip the broken end into the sauce, eat this and discard the rest. When you reach the middle, lift out the central leaves, scrape away the hairy choke and eat the artichoke heart.

STEAMED ARTICHOKES WITH LEMON BUTTER

Steps:

• Pull off any brown or very tough outer leaves from one artichoke. Use a sharp knife to cut off the top 1 inch of artichoke, then rub with the cut side of the lemon. Use kitchen shears or scissors to cut the pointy tops off the remaining outer layer of leaves. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to peel the stem down to its tender pale-colored core; immediately rub the stem with a lemon half. Use your fingers to separate the center leaves to expose the fuzzy pale choke sitting on top of the heart. Use a grapefruit spoon (or other spoon) to scoop out the choke, and rub a little lemon juice over the exposed flesh. Repeat with the remaining artichokes.
• Fill a medium pot with 2 inches of water, place a steamer basket inside, and bring water to a simmer. Place the artichokes bottoms down on the rack, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer over low heat until you can easily pull off an artichoke leaf, 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the steamer basket and transfer to a serving platter.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic and salt. Slowly whisk in butter. To serve, have everyone pull off the leaves and dunk the meaty bottoms into the lemon butter, swirling to mix butter with each dip (the butter will separate as it sits).

ARTICHOKES WITH BROWN BUTTER HOLLANDAISE

Steps:

• For the artichokes: Squeeze a lemon into a large pot of salted water. Throw in the rinds and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, trim the artichokes, rubbing every cut surface with the remaining lemon as you go, so they don't turn brown. Using a bread knife, cut off the stems, then snap off any tough dark green leaves around the base. Slice across the artichokes about one-third of the way down, exposing their inner core.
• When the water boils, put in the artichokes and boil until a bottom leaf pulls off easily and the base of the artichokes are tender to a fork, about 40 minutes. Drain. Pull the inner core from the artichokes and clean out all the hair-like bits, scraping the cavity clean with a spoon.
• For the hollandaise: Melt the butter slowly in a saucepan, leaving it on the heat until it has turned brown (not black). Skim off any foam that rises to the top, and pour the clear butter into a bowl, leaving behind the milk solids. Wash the saucepan.
• Put the yolks, 1/4 cup/60 ml water and a pinch of salt into the clean pan. Whisk over medium heat until ribbony, 3 to 5 minutes. If the pan gets too hot, the eggs will scramble, so lift the saucepan on and off the heat occasionally to keep the temperature in check. Take the pot off the heat and slowly whisk in the clarified butter, adding it in a thin stream. Season with salt, pepper, and a few squirts of lemon. It will be thick, but still pour off a spoon. It should be globby, like mayonnaise. Spoon the sauce into the cavity of the artichokes. Eat, by peeling off the leaves and dipping them in the sauce. When you get to the heart, eat it with a knife and fork.

HORSERADISH BUTTER

Steps:

• Pulse 1 stick softened butter in a food processor with 1/3 cup chopped chives, 3 tablespoons horseradish, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest until smooth. Scrape the butter onto plastic wrap or parchment, wrap and shape into a log. Chill until firm. Slice and serve over grilled steak.
• TIP: Try making other flavored butters with odds and ends from your fridge: capers, pickles, olives or even hot sauce.