Fire roasted Artichokes

My friend Keri makes the most wonderful artichokes you’ve ever had. She’s a genius really. This is sort of her recipe, but I have a horrible memory, so I’m sure I’ve messed up something. Fortunately this recipe is pretty flexible and is good with just about anything, as long as you do the dipping sauce with the same herbs that you flavor your artichokes with during the boiling process. I love this recipe so much that I ate a whole one by itself today for lunch.  Ok, fine I admit, it was one and a half...but that was it, no chips, cookies or even a chicken breast.  Just a big old pile of artichoke....yummm.  And by the way, I am not prone to eating a singular item as a meal by itself…unless it’s a carbohydrate, then I have a problem….This is a VEGETABLE people and I am far from a vegetarian. Trust me these are game changing artichokes. I dare you to try them.

Three artichokes
4 large sprigs of basil, or about 20 leaves (fresh only please)
4 sprigs of thyme (fresh only please)
Three medium lemons
1 cup of mayonnaise
1/3 cup Olive Oil
2 tsps garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
Dash of seasoned salt (or regular if you prefer)

Cut your artichoke(s) in half the long way. I recommend using a sharp knife, as this can be a bit hard to do without sacrificing one or two of your fingers. Ok, I exaggerate, just be careful is all I’m saying. Place your artichoke(s) in a pan (whatever size is appropriate for your quantity of artichokes you have chosen) Fill with water just to cover the artichokes. Place 2 sprigs of basil, all of the thyme and one lemon in the water with your artichoke (squeeze the lemon first, but go ahead and throw the whole thing in there as well. Bring this to a boil and simmer on medium heat until the stem and heart of the artichoke are tender when you insert a knife in them.

The purple part and the small white area
under it is the "choke".  It is not enjoyable to eat.

 

Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt and set aside.

Now make your dipping sauce by chopping the remaining basil leaves (finely). Combine the basil, mayonnaise, juice from one lemon and stir to combine. Remember that you have another half a lemon to use if you desire, this part is all about personal preference. Taste the dipping sauce and see if it’s lemony enough for you. I prefer mine super tart, so I go all the way with my lemon, but you might prefer a little less.

Drain the artichoke(s) and place on a cookie sheet. Take each half and scrape out the choke (the weird hairy part in the center), leaving a little well in the middle. Be careful not to remove the heart, that would be tragic. Brush each half on both sides with the oil/garlic powder mixture and place on a hot grill or under the broiler for about 3 minutes per side. The goal is to get the edges slightly charred all the way around. Char equals flavor, so please feel free to be liberal with your broiling. Once you have a liberal amount of charrage ( I know it’s not a word), remove them from the heat and let cool slightly before serving.

Suggestion: You may want to double the dipping sauce. I know it seems like a lot, but people tend to be extra generous in their dipping on this one.

Arancini Chapter Two

I hosted a Bridal Shower recently and one of the requests was for these (to die for) little Italian treats. I've posted about Arancini before, so I will spare you the story (go here to read my adventure).
Arancini is a delish little Italian treat (directly translated to mean "little orange").

This is simply one of the most perfect appetizers ever. There are endless combinations of what you can stir into these little bites. I got this recipe from Williams Sonoma but made it my own, as I really always try to do when cooking. I personally find deep reward in re-writing something to suit either my taste buds in the moment, or sometimes just to fit the ingredients I happen to have on hand.


2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup medium-grain white rice such as Arborio
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
Pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 whole egg
2 cups fine dried bread crumbs (preferably Panko)
2 oz. Salami
2 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped into 1/2-3/4 inch cubes
1/2 cup of fresh basil, roughly chopped
Olive or canola oil for deep-frying

Directions:
In a saucepan over high heat, bring the broth to a boil. Stir in the rice, butter and salt. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Transfer the rice to a bowl and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and salami. Let cool slightly, then stir in the whole egg, and basil. Let cool completely. This is an important step. Don't cheat and try doing it while the rice is still warm. Disaster will ensue...

Spread the bread crumbs on a dinner plate.

Moisten your hands with water. Scoop up 1/4 cup of the rice mixture and place it in the cupped palm of one hand. Flatten out the mixture slightly and place 1 piece of the mozzarella in the center. Mold the rice over the cheese, adding a bit more rice if needed to cover it completely. Shape the rice into a ball. Roll the ball in the bread crumbs and place on a rack. Continue with the remaining ingredients to make 12 balls total. Rinse your hands frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to them. Let the balls dry on the rack for at least 15 minutes before frying, or refrigerate the balls for up to 24 hours.

Position a rack in the middle of an oven and preheat to 200°F. Line a large baking sheet with paper towels and set it next to the stove. Pour the olive oil to a depth of 3 inches into a deep, heavy fry pan and heat to 375°F on a deep-frying thermometer. The oil must cover the balls by at least 1 inch so they will cook evenly and not burst.

Using a slotted spoon or wire skimmer, gently lower a few of the rice balls into the hot oil, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry until golden brown and crisp all over, about 2 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the arancini to the prepared baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Fry the remaining arancini in the same way, allowing the oil to return to the original frying temperature before adding the next batch.

Arrange the arancini on a warmed platter and serve immediately, or hold in the warm oven for up to 1 hour before serving.

Arancini

I love the Holiday's. As you can guess, the food is the best and most memorable part for me. It is both what I enjoy doing and what I enjoy giving the most. Thank God for such delicious food stuffs with which to spend countless hours perfecting over the holidays. I certainly hope that my friends and family have as much fun consuming as I do creating. I think they do, there are usually smiles on faces :-) Christmas Eve at home is usually spent munching on a plethora of appetizer like things, while making more appetizer like things and wrapping gifts and just about any game you can think of that takes 4 or more people is being played.


Bare with me here while I take a time warp....A couple of years ago, part of my family took a proper voyage to Europe. My poor brother in law was the only male amongst 4 women.  He has since dubbed it estrogen fest 07'. One of the grand prizes of our trip was stumbling on "Arancini" in the Italian convenience stores. I know... strange that one of the more memorable items of Italian food was found at the gas'n'go. Oh well. They are such a cool little treat.  They are now one of our favorite appetizers, and I find myself preparing to make them this Christmas Eve.  Hopefully Neil doesn't have unpleasant memories...I wouldn't want to ruin this day...never mind, Arancini are so good they can only shade his memory so as to remember only the pleasantness of our grand journey.


These fried stuffed rice balls, or "little oranges," in Italian (due to their shape), are found all over Italy but are especially favored in the south, where oranges are a major crop. Available both in restaurants and at street stands, arancini are delicious either piping hot or at room temperature. At home, they make a satisfying first course. If you like, make them even smaller and pass them on appetizer trays. The best way to work with the sticky rice mixture is to use one hand for holding and shaping the rice, while keeping the other hand somewhat clean for handling the spoon.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1/2 lb. ground veal and/or pork
1 cup dry Marsala wine
1/2 cup shelled fresh English peas
1 cup meat stock
1 Tbs. tomato paste
2 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 cups Baldo or Arborio rice
6 eggs
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 2 Tbs. warm water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fine dried bread crumbs
Directions:


In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, warm the 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the onion, celery and carrot and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the meat, breaking it up, and cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom. Increase the heat to high and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the peas, stock, tomato paste and parsley, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, until tender to the bite but slightly firm in the center, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the variety. Drain and spread the rice on a baking sheet to cool.

Preheat an oven to 200°F.

In a small bowl, beat 3 of the eggs. Place the cooled rice in another bowl and add the beaten eggs, the cheese and the saffron mixture. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Place a large spoonful of the rice mixture in your palm, pack it lightly and make an indentation in the center. Place a tablespoonful of the meat mixture in the indentation. Cover the meat with another large spoonful of rice, sealing the meat in the center. Pack firmly into balls about 2 inches in diameter. Set aside.

In a small, deep bowl, beat the remaining 3 eggs. Put the flour and bread crumbs into separate small, deep bowls. Coat each rice ball with flour, then with egg and then crumbs. Set aside.

In a large fry pan over medium heat, pour in oil to a depth of 1 inch and heat until the oil shimmers. Working in batches, fry the rice balls, turning frequently, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Keep the rice balls warm in the oven while frying the remaining balls. Serve immediately. Makes about 24 balls; serves 6.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series, Risotto, by Pamela Sheldon Johns (Simon & Schuster, 2002).