Posted on 04/27/2017 3:38:51 PM PDT by Jamestown1630
I’ve always thought that artichokes – as they are available to a suburbanite like me, in the supermarket – were expensive and time-consuming to prepare and cook. But I like them, and I like the ritual of eating them; so once or twice a year I’ll buy them as a ‘Rite of Spring’.
I’ve always steamed mine but recently found some recipes for roasting them. Since I’ve come to enjoy roasted asparagus much more than I like it steamed, I thought I’d try handling the artichokes this way.
I used this recipe from 'Pinch My Salt', but omitted the garlic, because I wanted to know how roasting, as opposed to steaming, changes the flavor of the artichoke itself:
http://pinchmysalt.com/how-to-roast-whole-artichokes/
They turned out well, but you know what? I still like them better steamed – they just seem fresher, taste more like Spring, and offer more of the flavor of the artichoke itself.
Here’s a good instruction for preparing and steaming them:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/whole-steamed-artichokes
Many folks like dipping the leaves in Mayonnaise, but I like plain melted butter.
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Another vegetable that I like – fortunately less expensive! - is Eggplant, especially in a ’parmigiana’ treatment.
Chef John of ‘Food Wishes’ has a unique way of preparing Eggplant as a ‘Baked Eggplant Sandwich’ which I found last weekend, and thought was brilliant. Here is a link to his site, with recipe and video:
http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2013/01/baked-eggplant-sandwiches-getem-while.html
-JT
pull the steam and pistol out of my blossoms
I’m posting this again. Yeah, it’s that good.
My leavening agent is rye and whole wheat flour I feed a
couple days before baking bread.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_peoc8F-cuI
http://laurainthekitchen.com/recipes/no-knead-rustic-dutch-oven-bread/
My starter recipe.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/8392/sourdough-starter/
A couple slices 1/4 inch thick toasted with butter and cheese is a great way to start your day.
Most of my property is heavily shaded, thus learned shade gardening. The only sunny area is on my south facing sloped front yard. Have the grow boxes behind several areas of barberry shrubbery.
I’m curious too. I am going to have to try them some day.
If I had some artichokes right now, I’d slice them thin, grill them and put them in a frittata. It’s one of my favorite ways to make them besides stuffing them.
When I stuff them like this, I fry the outside of the stuffing and then simmer them in tomato sauce.
http://cookingwithnonna.com/italian-cuisine/nonnas-stuffed-artichokes.html
I'm in your camp darling.
Thank you for doing this, MUCH!!! Can someday can we do veggie salad? Thank you for the time you spend.
Love artichokes boiled. We gave up butter (her), and mayo (me) years ago as we concocted a mix of mayo, and sour cream with Dijon, horseradish, salt, and pepper. Makes a great dip not just for artichokes, but perhaps a thousand things including French Fries, and Potato Chips.
I had never heard of ‘The Garden Patch’ or their ‘grow boxes’. Thanks for the tip.
The problem with our balcony is that it’s a relentless Southern exposure and seems to dry everything out no matter how much I try to keep up with watering. I’m trying some herbs this year, maybe some tiny carrots, and will see how it goes.
Agree with the simpler steam or boil method with melted butter, bit of lemon juice and zest being my favorite. Have had them with Hollandaise an those were tasty, but then shirt cardboards with Hollandaise are darn tasty as well.
As for other methods, my lovely darling new bride of six weeks decided we should host our first small dinner party, just two other couples. On the menu was a rolled beef roast from Nevada Meats, roasted potatoes and something else with artichokes as the appetizer.
As host I was passing out adult beverages with my sweetie in charge of cooking. After an hour I noticed a concerned look on my wifes face, she had been popping into the tiny kitchen every five minutes and promising dinner would be ready any moment now. I slipped away to see what was up. Six lovely artichokes with clipped tips artfully arranged in the large cast iron skillet on a very low flame awash in a puddle of butter. Finding the little kitchen suspiciously cool, a quick check of the oven revealed a blue bundle of meat shivering with the knob turned to one. In a nano second I manned up and informed our guests that a malfunctioning oven had put the kibosh on the at home dinner and our party would decamp to a nearby restaurant.
Never asked her where she got the artichokes in the pan idea from. While new to the husband role, I was not stupid. Silence is indeed golden in such matters.
bottom of container holds 4 gallons of water. Waters from roots up...wells you fill with spaghnum moss/potting soil, and water flows upwards. My boxes are on a slope, facing south/southwest, in sun from 9:00 till 8:30...fill reservoirs about every 10-14 days or so. System has a dense fibrous nutrient patch that fertilizes, prevents evaporation, weeds. You cut slits in fibrous patch to plant seeds, seedlings.
grow boxes are in 6-7 colors
That’s kind of ingenious. I will definitely look into it.
Tomatoes? My Italian Husband, who grew up with a Dad who grew tomatoes and made gallons of sauce every year, would love to be able to grow some tomatoes on the balcony.
It’s my pleasure!
Tomatoes do especially well in these boxes. I plant about 6 varieties. One year, for cherry tomatoes, had to use a 8 ft piece of moulding for a garden stake. And if you like zucchinni, only plant one mound, one day I discern 4-5 ‘pickles, 3 days later they look like ‘cucumbers’, a few more days I am havesting ‘wiffle’ bats’
Thanks very much for telling me about this. I’ll definitely look into it!
Share your dip recipe?
Wow! I must have missed the memo. Congratulations and I wish you and your new family many, many years of joy and good health!
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