Food recipes
Steamed Artichokes, Red Peppers, Basil
Steamed Artichokes, Red Peppers, Basil
Ingredients:
1 cup drained, jarred, roasted red bell peppers or pimientos
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves
¼ teaspoon salt
6 medium globe artichokes
Directions:
1. Puree the roasted peppers or pimientos, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the vinegar,
basil, and salt in a blender or a large food processor until smooth. Set aside.
2. Trim the artichokes by pulling off all the outer leaves until you reach the leaves that
have changed both color and texture, becoming pale and thinner. Slice off the top of
each artichoke to the heart. Peel the stalk with a vegetable peeler; cut the artichoke in
half and scrape out the hairy choke, preferably with a serrated grapefruit spoon.
3. Set up a vegetable steamer over 2 inches of simmering water. Steam the artichokes,
covered, until tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Prepare the grill for high-heat, direct cooking (or heat a grill pan over medium-high
heat until smoking). Coat the artichokes in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and
grill cut side down until well marked, 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Spoon the sauce onto small plates and set the artichokes in the middle of the sauce.
• AHEAD
•
Make the red pepper sauce up to 2 days in advance. Store, covered, in the refrigerator but allow to come
back to room temperature before serving.
•
Grill the artichokes up to 4 hours in advance. Store them at room temperature.
• MORE
Add smoke by 1) putting soaked and drained smoking chips in the grill’s smoker box, 2) using smoked olive oil
to coat the artichokes, or 3) putting the grilled artichokes in a large baking dish, covering it with plastic wrap,
and using the very esoteric, gourmet tool of a smoking gun to pipe an intense burst of smoke into the pan
before tightly sealing it.
• NOTE
•
If you don’t work quickly and efficiently, or if this is the first time you’ve made this dish, set up a large bowl
of water combined with the juice of 1 lemon. Drop the prepped artichokes in that water as you finish them to
keep them from oxidizing (and thus browning).
• A MENU
SALAD: Roasted Pears, Fig Caponata
SMALL PLATE: Steamed Artichokes, Red Peppers, Basil
LARGE PLATE: Zucchini Casserole, Mashed Potatoes
DESSERT: Chocolate Chip Cookies, Maple, Tahini, Dates
• POUR
Since artichokes are notoriously difficult to pair with wine, a dry sherry with its woody fragrance to balance
the sweetness in the dish
Crunchy Runner Beans, Pickled Shallots
8 SERVINGS
Ingredients:
1 cup drained, jarred, roasted red bell peppers or pimientos
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves
¼ teaspoon salt
6 medium globe artichokes
Directions:
1. Puree the roasted peppers or pimientos, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the vinegar,
basil, and salt in a blender or a large food processor until smooth. Set aside.
2. Trim the artichokes by pulling off all the outer leaves until you reach the leaves that
have changed both color and texture, becoming pale and thinner. Slice off the top of
each artichoke to the heart. Peel the stalk with a vegetable peeler; cut the artichoke in
half and scrape out the hairy choke, preferably with a serrated grapefruit spoon.
3. Set up a vegetable steamer over 2 inches of simmering water. Steam the artichokes,
covered, until tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Prepare the grill for high-heat, direct cooking (or heat a grill pan over medium-high
heat until smoking). Coat the artichokes in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and
grill cut side down until well marked, 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Spoon the sauce onto small plates and set the artichokes in the middle of the sauce.
• AHEAD
•
Make the red pepper sauce up to 2 days in advance. Store, covered, in the refrigerator but allow to come
back to room temperature before serving.
•
Grill the artichokes up to 4 hours in advance. Store them at room temperature.
• MORE
Add smoke by 1) putting soaked and drained smoking chips in the grill’s smoker box, 2) using smoked olive oil
to coat the artichokes, or 3) putting the grilled artichokes in a large baking dish, covering it with plastic wrap,
and using the very esoteric, gourmet tool of a smoking gun to pipe an intense burst of smoke into the pan
before tightly sealing it.
• NOTE
•
If you don’t work quickly and efficiently, or if this is the first time you’ve made this dish, set up a large bowl
of water combined with the juice of 1 lemon. Drop the prepped artichokes in that water as you finish them to
keep them from oxidizing (and thus browning).
• A MENU
SALAD: Roasted Pears, Fig Caponata
SMALL PLATE: Steamed Artichokes, Red Peppers, Basil
LARGE PLATE: Zucchini Casserole, Mashed Potatoes
DESSERT: Chocolate Chip Cookies, Maple, Tahini, Dates
• POUR
Since artichokes are notoriously difficult to pair with wine, a dry sherry with its woody fragrance to balance
the sweetness in the dish
Crunchy Runner Beans, Pickled Shallots
8 SERVINGS
Printed from https://recipe.bluelayer.org/recipe/71594/steamed-artichokes-red-peppers-basil