Artichokes With Tarragon Butter Food

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).

EASY STEAMED ARTICHOKES WITH TARRAGON BUTTER

Steps:

• Make a bowl of acidulated water: Fill a large bowl with cold water. Squeeze the juice of 2 lemons into bowl along with the lemon halves; set aside.
• Using a serrated knife, cut off 1/2 inch from the top of an artichoke. Remove any small leaves from the bottom and trim stem so artichoke can stand upright. Use kitchen shears to trim sharp tips of artichoke leaves. Transfer to acidulated water, and repeat with remaining artichokes.
• Fill a large pot with about 2 inches of water and add tarragon and a pinch of salt. Set steamer basket in pot, making sure water doesn't seep through holes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a rapid simmer.
• Place artichokes stem side up in steamer and season with salt. Cover pot and steam until bottoms of artichokes are very tender when pierced to the center with the tip of a paring knife, about 40 minutes. (Add more hot water if necessary to maintain level during cooking.)
• To make the tarragon butter: Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then stir in chopped tarragon and lemon juice, and season with salt.
• Place an artichoke on each plate, remove the center leaves and with a spoon gently scrape down to the heart. Serve with lemon wedges and warm tarragon butter on the side for dipping.

STEAMED ARTICHOKES WITH TARRAGON BUTTER

Steps:

• Prepare artichokes Using a serrated knife, cut off top quarter of each artichoke. Use kitchen shears to trim sharp tips of artichoke leaves. Remove any small leaves from bottoms of artichokes and trim stems so artichokes can stand upright.
• Prepare steamer Fill a large pot with about 2 inches of water and add a sprig of tarragon and a pinch of salt. Set steamer basket in pot (make sure water doesn't seep through holes). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a rapid simmer.
• Steam artichokes Stand artichokes upright in steamer and season with salt. Top each with a lemon slice. Cover pot and steam until bottoms of artichokes are very tender when pierced to the center with the tip of a paring knife, 35 to 50 minutes. (Add more hot water if necessary to maintain level during cooking.)
• Meanwhile, make butter Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then stir in chopped tarragon and season with salt.
• Serve Place an artichoke on each plate with some lemon wedges and serve warm tarragon butter on the side for dipping.

ROASTED ARTICHOKE WITH FRESH TARRAGON AND DIJON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450F.
• Prep the artichokes by cutting them in half lengthwise, removing the choke and the tough inner leaves with a spoon. Soak in a bowl of water with the juice of the lemon to keep them from browning.
• Line a rimmed baking tray with foil and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the artichokes cut side down. Rub the outside of the artichokes with the remaining olive oil and pour the vegetable broth or water around them in the pan. Place in the oven to roast 20-25 minutes, or until the heart is tender when pierced with a knife and outside leaves are slightly brown.
• While the artichokes cook, make the vinaigrette by adding garlic, vinegar and mustard to a blender. Blend on high, while slowly adding the olive oil. The vinaigrette should have the consistency of heavy cream. If it is too thick, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time. Stir in chopped tarragon and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Remove the artichokes from the oven and place on a platter, serve with the vinaigrette on the side.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES WITH TARRAGON

Steps:

• Scrape the artichokes, leaving some of the skin on. Parboil, putting the bigger pieces into the water first, then the smaller pieces. Let them boil for two minutes, then drain.
• Slice the artichokes when they are cool enough to handle. In a large frying pan (preferably cast iron) heat the olive oil and saute the artichokes so that they are lightly brown. Add the garlic and cook until it becomes barely golden (do not allow it to burn).
• Sprinkle the artichokes with tarragon and serve.

CORN AGNOLOTTI WITH TARRAGON BUTTER

Steps:

• Sprinkle baking sheet with some cornmeal and set aside. Cut the ball of pasta dough into 8 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a rectangle about the size of a deck of cards. Corver the dought with plastic wrap while you are working. Roll a rectanle of dought through the widest setting of a pasta machine 3 times, until it is smooth. Continue rolling it through, decreasing in setting each time until you have reached the thinnest setting. Sprinkle the sheet light with cornmeal, gently fold it and set it on the cornmeal-lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap. Continue rolling out the rest of teh pasta until all 8 pieces have been rolled out.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the drained cream corn, mascarpone cheese, goat cheese, taraagon and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside. In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 Tbsp water.
• To form the agnolotti, place a sheet of pasta on a dry work surface. Using a pastry brush, brished the entire sheet of fresh pasta with egg wash. Place rounded teaspoons (abotu 1 oz) of corn filling on the pasta sheet, about 2 inches apart. Carefully places another sheet of pasta over the mounds, smoothing out any air pockets and firmly sealing the pasta around the filling. Using a scalloped pasta cutter (or a sharp knife), cut the pasta into small squares. Transfer the agnolotti to the cornmeal-lined baking sheet. Continue forming the remaining agnolotti.
• To serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until they float, about 2 minutes. While the pasta cooks, gently mix together all the tarragon butter ingredients in a medium serving bowl. Drain the pasta, using a large mess strainer or slotted spoon, and stranger them to the serving bowl with the tarragon butter. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

STEAMED ARTICHOKES WITH TARRAGON MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• Squeeze juice of 1 lemon into a large bowl of cold water.
• Trim stem of 1 artichoke flush with bottom. Snap off outer leaves. Using kitchen shears, cut off tips of remaining leaves. Place in lemon water. Repeat.
• Drain artichokes, and place in a pot in a single snug layer (in batches if necessary). Add 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer, cover, and steam until tender, about 35 minutes. Remove from pot. Let cool. Cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, zest and juice remaining lemon. Whisk zest, 2 tablespoons juice, the mayonnaise, tarragon, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Serve alongside artichokes.

ARTICHOKE AND BUTTER LETTUCE SALAD WITH TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, shallot, and mustard and then gradually whisk in the olive oil to create an emulsion. Add the tarragon; season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until serving time.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the lemon juice and the prepared artichoke bottoms. To keep the artichokes from bobbling to the top, weight them with a pot lid that's smaller than the boiling pot. Keep the pot uncovered and adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the artichokes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Drain upside down on paper towels until cool.
• Tear the lettuce into bite size pieces. Halve each artichoke bottom and cut each half into 5 or 6 wedges. Put the artichoke wedges in a salad bowl and add 2 TBs of the vinaigrette; toss to coat. Add the lettuce and the remaining dressing and toss gently. Arrange the salad on six plates and garnish with the egg wedges. Serve immediately.