How do you cook baby artichockes and how much of it can you actually eat?!
How do you cook baby artichockes and how much of it can you actually eat?
Never had it in my life. bought some today would like to try it.
Answers:
I love baby artichokes, and they are so hard to find in my area!
24 baby artichokes
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Dressing:
3 cloves garlic, smashed into a paste with the flat of a knife
4 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
3/4 cup tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
Shortly before cooking, rotate each baby artichoke against the blade of a very sharp stainless steel paring knife to trim off the outermost layer of leaves. Cut off the stems level with the bottom of the artichoke, and cut off and discard the top half. Toss in lemon juice to keep them from darkening.
Put the trimmed artichokes in a nonaluminum pot with enough cold water to cover them by about 1-inch. Place a small plate directly on the artichokes -- in the pan -- to keep them submerged. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Turn the heat to low and keep the artichokes at a bare simmer for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Combine the garlic, lemon juice and parsley. Whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Poke the artichokes with a paring knife to test for doneness. Should feel like a slightly underdone boiled potato. When done, drain and pour vinaigrette over them
Eat the white/tender part of the leaves...as you work your way inward, the entire leaves become edible. Avoid any purple, prickly ends, and don't eat the fuzzy choke when you get to that...baby artichokes don't usually have much of this, but avoid it if it's there. Make sure to eat the baby heart of it at the bottom, though!
Yummy!!!
Baby Artichokes
24 baby artichokes
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
oil (for frying)
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 dash salt
1 dash cayenne pepper
1-2 cup panko
1. Rinse artichokes under cold, running water. Combine the 2 quarts of water with the lemon juice. Use this water to drop the artichokes in as you trim them. Cut off stems and top 1/3 of artichoke petals. With your thumb, bend artichoke petals back, about 3 to 4 petals at a time, until they snap off. Make a quarter turn and continue to snap, working around until pale yellow leaves remain.
2. Cut in quarters.
3. Fill deep fryer to line with oil, or pour at least 3 inches of oil into deep 3-quart saucepan. Begin heating to 375 degrees.
4. In medium bowl, beat eggs, garlic, cayenne and salt. Pour Panko crumbs into pie plate or small shallow pan. Drain artichokes well, then dip each baby artichoke quarter in egg/garlic mixture, then roll in Panko crumbs. When oil is hot, carefully drop coated baby artichoke quarters in, a few at a time, and fry until well-browned, about 2 minutes.
5. Lift out and drain on paper towels. Serve hot.