Artichokes are a delicious appetizer and are really easy to prepare. One of the most flavorful preparations is to braise them in a court bouillon, a vegetable flavored broth. I like to split them in half to speed up the cooking time. When the petite artichokes are at the market, they are equally excellent when prepared in this manner. Simple trim the up slightly and cook them whole until they are tender. A great way to serve them is to lightly char them over an oak-fired BBQ. Serve a homemade sauce mayonnaise on the side.
If you are ever on the coast of California near Watsonville, you will see miles of artichokes growing in the fields. In August, Watsonville hosts an artichoke festival. From the Artichoke web page: "In 1959, the Central Coast community of Castroville, CA gathered to celebrate the harvest of our state vegetable and the region that became known as the “Artichoke Center of the World.” Join us in celebration of all things artichokes at The Artichoke Festival, now rescheduled for August 8-9, 2020, at the Monterey County Fairgrounds & Event Center in Monterey."
Artichokes are also versatile in other preparations. At Le Gavroche restaurant in London, chef Albert Roux had an appetizer on the men call "Oeufs Froide Carême," which was cold poached eggs set on an artichoke bottom filled with a smoked salmon salad, top with the poached egg and caped with a round of smoked salmon and a slice of black truffle. An old Escoffier cookbook that was formerly my friend James Sly's lists some 21 preparations using artichokes. A sampling includes bottoms filled with fresh-creamed peas and a soup of artichoke with hazelnut butter. Another old saw is poached artichokes with hollandaise sauce. Enjoy this versatile thistle!
Tastefully,
Chef Michael Hutchings
