Grilled Baby Artichokes With Mint Salsa Verde Food

GRILLED BABY ARTICHOKES WITH MIXED HERBS VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• For the artichokes: Fill a large pot with cold water. Squeeze the lemons into the water, and then drop them into the pot. Add the olive oil and salt. Add the artichokes and cook until a paring knife inserted into the center meets with a little resistance, about 15 minutes. Drain and shock in cold water for 30 seconds. Drain again and transfer to a sheet lined with paper towels to dry.
• While the artichokes are cooking, make the vinaigrette: Whisk the mustard, honey, lemon zest and juice and some salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.
• Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high. Halve the artichokes, brush with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with the vinaigrette, herbs and red pepper flakes.
• Serve with grilled Italian bread.

GRILLED ARTICHOKES WITH OLIVE OIL, LEMON, AND MINT

Steps:

• Squeeze juice from halved lemons into large bowl filled with cold water. Cut stem off 1 artichoke, leaving about 1 inch. Snap off outer 2 rows of leaves. Cut off top 1/3 of artichoke. Quarter artichoke lengthwise. Using small knife, cut out choke and prickly small leaves. Place artichoke in lemon water. Repeat with remaining artichokes.
• Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Drain artichokes, add to pot, and boil until crisp-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Transfer artichokes to rack and cool. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Whisk oil, 1/3 cup lemon juice, and mint in small bowl. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Brush artichokes with dressing. Grill until tender and lightly charred in spots, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes. Transfer artichokes to platter. Drizzle with some of remaining dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

GRILLED BABY ARTICHOKES WITH CAPER-MINT SAUCE

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• Stir together all sauce ingredients with pepper to taste. Trim and cook artichokes: Combine 1 qt cold water and lemon juice in a large bowl. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base and discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until exposed leaves are pale green at top and pale yellow at base. Trim pointed tips of leaves with kitchen shears, then cut a thin slice from end of stem to expose a fresh cross section. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and stem of artichoke, being careful not to break off stem. Halve artichoke lengthwise. Remove fuzzy center and any pointed inner leaves. Put in bowl of lemon water.
• Drain artichokes, then cook in a large pot of boiling salted water (1 Tbsp salt for 5 qt water) until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain well.
• Grill artichokes:
• Prepare a grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas).
• Toss artichokes with oil in a bowl. Oil grill rack, then grill artichokes, cut sides down, covered only if using a gas grill, turning once, until golden brown in spots, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve drizzled with sauce.

GRILLED SAUSAGE, FENNEL, AND BABY ARTICHOKE SPRING PASTA

Steps:

• Heat grill on medium-high.
• Cook sausages for 10 minutes, making sure to turn to prevent burning. Season fennel with salt and pepper, brush with olive oil, and grill until brown and tender, about 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, slice the sausages on the bias into 1/4-inch slices, and cut the fennel into similarly sized pieces. Keep the sausage and fennel warm until ready to use.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente.
• In another large pot of water, add lemon, onion, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Add trimmed artichokes and top with a small plate to weight down artichokes. Cook until hearts are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from pot and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper, and place on grill to cook for 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, halve the artichokes.
• In a medium sized bowl, mix the vinegar and mustard. Slowly whisk in oil until emulsified. Mix in salt, sugar, and pepper. Toss the sausage, fennel, artichokes, and pasta with walnut vinaigrette and plate, garnishing with the whole parsley leaves. Serve immediately.