How To Cook an Artichoke

I recently watch an episode of Alton Brown’s show where his main ‘guest’ was an artichoke. He always has the best explanations for the science behind cooking which appeals to the culinary nerd in me. He had several very helpful tips for preparing an artichoke. The one that stood out the most was the idea that you should not cover the boiling pot while cooking your ‘choke. What?! I’ve always just put the artichoke in water, put the lid on and boil, baby, boil. Alton had a long, scientific description of why you don’t want to do that, but in layman’s terms, the ‘choke releases a chemical that when trapped by a covered lid, turns the delicious thistle a shade similar to decaying zombie flesh. Ya, not very appetizing… He remedies this by using a steaming basket turned upside down over top the artichokes weighed down by a rock to keep them under water. I don’t have any kitchen rocks, but I had my own ideas of how to accomplish this. I decided that I would just keep the lid partially ajar so that said gases could escape, keeping my ‘choke a beautiful shade of green. Success!

What You Need:

2 artichokes
1 Tbs herbs de Provence
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black peppercorns
Water



What To Do:

Bring water, spices and artichokes to a boil in a large soup pot with lid ajar.

Once boiling, reduce heat to medium so that the water is gently boiling.  Keep lid ajar during cooking process. I recommend rotating the artichoke after 15 minutes so that it cooks evenly.

After 30 minutes, check the ‘choke by using tongs to lift it out of the cooking liquid. If you can insert a knife into the heart easily, it’s done. If not, cook for an additional 5 minutes and check again. Cooking time depends on the size of the artichoke.

Once the heart is tender, remove artichokes from cooking liquid and allow water to drain off. Serve with lemon garlic butter.

Remember, an artichoke is a thistle and has an inedible portion nearest to the heart, after you’ve eaten through all the leaves. Simply scrape off the inedible portion and enjoy the best part, the heart!

Serves 2 (as an entrée)


Bon Appétit!
Mary

Lemony Garlic Chicken Kebabs with Herbs de Provence

This non-traditional Easter dinner began with a call to Chicken Dijon, a local Greek restaurant, who was not answering their phone. Closed on Easter! What to do? With my sister in law on her way, I foraged in the fridge for something to serve. I spied a package of chicken, always a staple in my pantry, and some crispy vegetables. After selecting the main components of my meal, I decided I wanted the chicken to have a sweet and herbaceous marinade. Lemony garlic chicken kebabs with herbs de Provence was born. Herbs de Provence is comprised of basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, summer savory and thyme. You can buy it pre-mixed from the market. This quick and easy dinner was perfect for this sunny, warm Southern California afternoon and can be prepared a day ahead, which is perfect for entertaining. Serve with mixed grilled vegetables.

What You Need:

• 
  
  1 recipe marinated chicken, cut into bite sized pieces (recipe follows)
• 
  
  1 ½ red bell pepper, cut into bite sized pieces
• 
  
  1 ¼ red onion, cut into bite sized chunks
• 
  
  1 – 8z package cremini mushrooms
• 
  
  9 skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

What To Do:

Impale vegetables and meat evenly on each skewer.

Grill on an outdoor grill until chicken is no longer pink, about 12 minutes, over medium heat. Serve with grilled vegetables.

Serves 4


Bon Appétit!
Mary


Lemony Garlic Marinated Chicken

What You Need:
1 – 1.25 lbs chicken tenders
1 tsp herbs de Provence

Juice and zest of one lemon
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
3-6 cloves garlic (to taste), grated or minced
2 tsp honey
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

What To Do:

Combine all ingredients, except chicken, in a bowl and wisk until smooth.

Put chicken and marinade in a Ziploc bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-24 hours.