How To Cook Artichoke Bottoms Food

SAUTEED ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine and toss drained and rinsed artichoke bottoms with lemon juice. Set aside.
• In a large frying pan over medium heat, sweat onions in oil until translucent. Add tomatoes and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in Italian seasoning and shredded basil leaves. Add in artichoke bottoms with lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover pan and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• To serve, remove artichoke bottoms and place on serving plate so the hollow side is up. Fill with tomato-onion mixture.

ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Fill the pan with just enough water to cover bottom. Bring to a full boil over high heat. While water is heating, trim and discard the stems and tough outer leaves of artichokes. Tuck slivers of butter and slices of garlic into artichoke leaves.
• When water is boiling, place steamer insert in pot and set artichokes in steamer, stem-side down. Cover pot with lid and allow artichokes to steam for approximately 20 minutes, until tender.

ARTICHOKES (HOW TO COOK)

Steps:

• Trim stem of artichokes at the base.
• Remove any tough or discolored bottom leaves.
• Cut off approximately 1-inch of the top leaves, and trim remaining tips from leaves (I use scissors).
• Rub the base and all cut parts with lemon juice.
• Using fingers, open up the center of artichokes.
• With a sturdy spoon remove and discard the fuzzy choke.
• (I omit this step at this point and do it after cooking) Combine all ingredients, except artichokes, and bring to a boil.
• Add artichokes, and partially cover and return to a boil.
• Cook until the stem end is easily pierced with a fork.
• Allow about 30 minutes for medium and 40 minutes for large artichokes.
• Remove from liquid and drain upside down.
• Serve with melted butter or horseradish sauce, or they may be stuffed.
• NOTE#1: Artichokes may be cooked ahead and re-heated by putting in simmering water for 10 minutes.
• They will keep several days in the refrigerator.
• NOTE#2: Use an enamel or stainless steel pan for cooking.
• Do not use aluminum utensils.

TO TRIM ARTICHOKES INTO BOTTOMS

Steps:

• Halve lemon and into a bowl of cold water squeeze juice from 1 half, dropping squeezed half into water.
• Cut off artichoke stems and discard. 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.
• With a very sharp stainless-steel knife cut across artichoke 1 1/2 inches above stem end and with a spoon scrape out all of choke. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and sides of artichoke bottom and trim any remaining leaves. Rub artichoke bottom all over with cut side of remaining lemon half and put artichoke in bowl of lemon water. Trim remaining artichokes in same manner.

STUFFED ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS

Steps:

• Cut a thin slice from bottoms of artichokes to level if necessary. Place in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan., In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, garlic, chives and oregano. Spoon into artichokes; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 22-26 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

BUTTERED ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS

Steps:

• Place each artichoke on a flat surface on its side and cut away the stems. Cut away bottom leaves, holding a sharp knife perpendicular to the base. This should leave a clean, leafless base.
• Cut away the top leaves, leaving a base about one inch thick. Trim all around the top and bottom of each base to remove the green portions.
• Put flour in a small sieve and hold the sieve over a small saucepan. Pour the water over the flour, stirring to dissolve the flour. Add salt to taste.
• Put the artichoke bottoms into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Let simmer 20 minutes until tender but not mushy. Remove from the heat.
• When cool enough to handle, remove the fuzzy ''choke'' in the center of each artichoke bottom, using fingers or a spoon.
• Heat the butter in a small skillet and add the artichoke bottoms. Cook, turning the bottoms in the hot butter, about two minutes or until very lightly browned on all sides.

SPINACH STUFFED ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS

Steps:

• Prepare artichokes or buy canned bottoms. To prepare remove stem and then break the leaves of the base. Artichoke should have a conical shape when done. Cut off the core of the artichoke above the base. Base should be trimmed with vegetable peeler until all of the fibrous material is removed. Place the core and bottom in lemon water. The choke will be removed after cooking.
• Arrange artichoke pieces in one layer in saucepan with little oil, water, lemon juice and a dash of salt. Cook for 20-25 minutes covered. Once tender remove bottoms with spoon and pour cooking liquid over the bottoms.
• Spinach Sauté:.
• Cook in skillet with dash of salt 3-4 minutes until wilted. Drain. Using a spoon, press spinach to extract water. Chop the spinach and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat butter in skillet until dark brown then add spinach. Sauté just until heated. Reheat the artichoke bottoms in their liquid and drain. Arrange them in a gratin dish and spoon spinach into each one. Press the Swiss cheese on top of spinach.
• Gratin Sauce:.
• Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and add flour. Mix with whisk and cook on medium heat for 10 seconds. Add the milk all at once and mix with whisk. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until sauce boils. Reduce heat and boil for 30 seconds. Add cream and remove from heat.
• Preheat the broiler. Coat the artichokes with sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Heat under broiler for 3-4 minutes or until browned.