artichokes Archives - Pamela Salzman

Grilled artichokes with lemon-caper dipping sauce recipe

There are a few things I love ordering in restaurants because I never make them at home, either because my family doesn’t like it or it’s too difficult or I just don’t have access to the ingredients. Whenever I used to see artichokes on any menu, in any form, I would order them. I absolutely love artichokes, but I was always intimidated to try to make them so I looked at them as a treat. My grandmother used to make a fabulous stuffed artichoke, which really didn’t seem too difficult when she prepared them, but I was still confused even looking at a whole raw artichoke.

I eventually learned how to clean and steam and artichoke and I have to say it’s really straightforward and not difficult at all. If you’re not there yet, head over to my video on how to do it. But grilled artichokes still seemed daunting to me. Until I found out those are no big deal either! Since I taught this recipe in my classes last spring, I have learned an even better method for preparing artichokes for the grill. I steamed them whole last year and cut them afterwards which is a little tricky because the artichokes are already soft and some of the leaves come off when I tried cutting the artichokes in half. So I fixed that problem by cutting the artichokes in half (or quarters if they’re huge) before steaming. That way they stay nice and neat. Always learning with artichokes!

Personally, I love artichokes grilled more than any other preparation. The leaves pick up a great smoky flavor from the grill as well as a boost of flavor from a brushing of olive oil and a pinch of salt. I taught this recipe with a delicious lemon-caper dipping sauce, but I think grilled artichokes are good enough to eat plain.

After my instruction in class, everyone said the same thing, “that’s it?!” Yep, that’s it. Pretty easy. Although let’s not confuse “easy,” with “quick” or “instant” because preparing artichokes and cooking artichokes is not a quick job. It does require a little patience. The great part about grilled artichokes though, is that you can steam the artichokes ahead of time, cool them and then you can grill them later in the day or even the next day. Perfect for entertaining or a busy weeknight.

I think grilled artichokes are fantastic for casual entertaining. I say casual because you are using your hands and scraping the leaves with your teeth. Artichokes might be a little awkward to eat in front of the new boss or someone you don’t know very well. Just saying.

The lemon-caper dressing shared here is just a suggestion. It’s kind of like a healthified remoulade sauce. The sauce would also be really nice on a simple piece of baked or broiled fish. I also like to dip artichoke leaves in a simple vinaigrette (click here for my two favorites) or aged balsamic mixed with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. And please don’t forget to eat the heart which I think is the very best part and the easiest since you don’t have to work like you do with the leaves. If you’re not convinced to give these a try, read this post on all the health benefits of artichokes!

4.7 from 3 reviews

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Grilled Artichokes with Lemon-Caper Dipping Sauce

Author: Pamela

Serves: 6

Ingredients

3 whole artichokes
Unrefined, cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil for brushing artichokes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sauce:
½ cup plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt (I use whole)
¼ cup soy-free Vegenaise or your favorite mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons drained capers, chopped
2 Tablespoons minced fresh chives
Zest of 1 lemon (skip this if you are not a huge lemon fan)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon sea salt
a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Trim the artichokes: Remove the outer layer of small, tough leaves from the stem end. Trim the stem to create a flat bottom and discard cut stem. With a very sharp serrated knife (like a bread knife), cut off the top 1 inch of each artichoke. Use scissors to snip the tips of the remaining leaves. Cut the artichoke in half through the stem end.
Cook the artichokes: put a steamer insert in a large pot of water and bring water to a simmer. Add artichoke halves to steamer insert and cover. Steam artichokes until stem can be pierced easily with a knife, about 25-35 minutes depending on size. Remove artichokes from the saucepan and set aside until cool enough to handle. Preheat the grill on medium heat.
Make the sauce: In a medium bowl combine all the sauce ingredients and taste for seasoning.
Remove the chokes: Pull out the lighter leaves in the center of the artichoke to expose the fuzzy choke. With a spoon, scoop out the choke (but not the heart) and discard.
Brush inside and outside of the artichoke with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and grill until char marks appear, about 5-10 minutes. Flip over and grill on other side. Serve with lemon-caper dipping sauce.

artichokes

Vegetable Paella Recipe

We made it to Barcelona! Neither my husband, the kids , nor I has ever been to Barcelona before, and hubby and I haven’t been to Spain in 17 years! We are very excited to start our European vacation here. So much to see and do in a short amount of time!

As you would imagine, I am fairly obsessed with what people eat around the world. As much as I love visiting landmarks and museums and churches (I am actually also obsessed with churches), local markets and restaurants are high on my list of places to experience. I am fairly open-minded when it comes to trying new foods, although I am not a huge fan of meat, game and pork. I know, my options will be limited in Barcelona since every other menu item contains some sort of the above mentioned. Moderation is my mantra.

I am for sure on the lookout for excellent paella, which is basically like the national rice dish of Spain. I L-O-V-E rice in any way, shape or form. Paella is particularly delicious because it is typically cooked with lots of seafood, chicken, pork and some other tidbits like olives and roasted peppers all mixed together in the same saffron-infused dish. It’s so tasty. And it’s basically Mr. Picky’s nightmare since he would eat all of those things PLAIN, and “why did they have to mess this up by cooking it all together?!” I already gave Mr. Picky a pep talk before we left about being open-minded about food, otherwise he might ended up starving, or worse, really cranky. I’ll keep you posted, friends. Wish me luck.

Whether I find the perfect paella in Barcelona or not (and if you know where I should go, speak up!), I did teach this Vegetable Paella in my cooking classes this past spring. And I might admit, it was so flavorful and rich even without all the meat. You don’t normally find paella loaded with vegetables, and I find that true about a lot of the dishes in Spain – not very veggie-heavy, unless you count (fried) potatoes as a veg. Asparagus, peppers, artichokes (by all means, use frozen), tomatoes, mushrooms all go in here. I did make this several times for my vegetarian students with veggie stock, and it was very good, but I do prefer using chicken stock.

The one ingredient that is missing from this paella recipe that makes it an imposter and non-authentic is saffron, which gives the rice a beautiful gold color and imparts a unique flavor. Saffron is absurdly expensive and I have always had success substituting a bit of ground turmeric for saffron when I need that great yellow tint. If you have saffron however, by all means use it by crumbling it and dissolving it in some hot stock.

I love eating this paella with a green salad on the side and that’s it (although a pitcher of sangria wouldn’t hurt.) More from Barcleona to come, including my quest for the best paella!

5.0 from 2 reviews

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Vegetable Paella

Author: Pamela

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons unrefined, cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
¼ cup drained sliced jarred pimientos, chopped (one 4-ounce jar) or equivalent amount of roasted red pepper, diced
1 large tomato, peeled and chopped or ½ an 18-ounce jar of diced tomatoes, drained
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt (or more if your stock is unsalted)
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon paprika or sweet pimenton
1 ½ cups rice, preferably medium grain such as bomba or arborio
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock, preferably homemade
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ pound asparagus, tough ends snapped off and discarded, spears cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup frozen peas
6 ounces artichoke hearts, either frozen and thawed or jarred and drained*
optional: serve with lemon wedges on the side

Instructions

In a large skillet pan (between 12-14 inches,) heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the pimientos, tomato and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes.
Stir in the salt, both paprikas, turmeric, and rice. Add the chicken stock and parsley and bring to a boil. Continue cooking over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, about 7 minutes.
Stir in the asparagus, peas, and artichokes. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.
*to give the artichokes some extra flavor, pat them dry and sauté them in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Notes

you can also add mushrooms to the paella to add a meatiness. Sauté with onion in Step 1.

Whole Steamed Artichokes with Tomato-Basil Salad Recipe

I remember the first time I ate an artichoke, I really ate the artichoke. Or at least I tried to. I had no idea that I was supposed to scrape the meat off of the leaves with my teeth and not (attempt) to eat the entire thing. Ooops. I just kept chewing and chewing and chewing and thinking, “why on earth do people love artichokes so much? This is terrible!” Fortunately, I was taught how to properly eat an artichoke before I swore them off for good.

But for many years I thought artichokes were too intimidating to cook at home, and were only a special treat to be ordered in restaurants. Until one day I saw my grandmother making stuffed artichokes and I quietly stood by and took mental notes. I’m sure you know what I am about to say. So easy! Really, once you learn how to trim an artichoke, the rest is a piece of cake. I am hoping these photos can help you get past any artichoke anxiety you might have.

Artichokes are so versatile. You can eat them hot, warm, room temperature, even cold. It’s fun to dip the leaves into a sauce or a vinaigrette before nibbling the tender meat on the bottom of the leaves. Mayonnaise sauces are probably the most popular, but I prefer to keep things lighter and fresher. I love this artichoke preparation which I first had at the Ivy Restaurant in LA. I could eat tomato-basil salad on most anything, from fish and chicken to pasta and toast. On artichokes, this classic combo is just as delicious, with the juice from the tomatoes creating a vinaigrette of sorts with the olive oil. Love it!

Artichokes are a good source of folate, fiber, and vitamins C and K. Artichokes are also packed with antioxidants; they’re number 7 on the USDA’s top 20 antioxidant-rich foods list. I also read somewhere that artichokes used to be considered an aphrodisiac. Well now.

I was advised by my produce friends at Grow in Manhattan Beach that artichokes are more tender when the leaves are more closed and tighter than more open. A little frostbite on the outer leaves is completely fine, just check to make sure the stems don’t have any evidence of rot. They’re in season now, so get them while you can!

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Whole Steamed Artichokes with Tomato-Basil Salad

Author: Pamela

Serves: 3-6

Ingredients

3 whole artichokes, washed
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bay leaves
1 lemon, halved
1 ½ pints cherry tomatoes, quartered (you can also use an equivalent amount of whole fresh tomatoes, diced, when they are in season)
⅓ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced (or crushed for a more subtle garlic flavor)
2 Tablespoons unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Trim the artichokes: Remove the outer layer of small, tough leaves from the stem end. Trim the stem to create a flat bottom and discard cut stem. With a very sharp serrated knife, cut off the top 1 inch of each artichoke. Use scissors to snip the thorny tips of the remaining leaves. Artichokes should fit into your pot so that the lid fits tightly.
Cook the artichokes: Fill a large saucepan with 2 inches of water and add the garlic, bay leaves and lemon. Arrange the artichokes in the saucepan STEM SIDE UP. Bring water to a boil, cover and lower to a simmer. Steam artichokes for 30-45 minutes (depending on the size) or until stem can be pierced easily with a knife. Remove artichokes from the saucepan and set aside until cool enough to handle. I like to put them in a colander stem side up to cool.
Make the salad: In a medium bowl combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the chokes: Pull out the center leaves of the artichoke. They are the ones that are closed together and light purple at the top. Underneath that you will see the spiky, lighter leaves around the heart. The fuzzy choke is hidden underneath. With a spoon, scoop out the spiky leaves and the choke and discard. Take care not to remove too much of the meaty heart which sits just underneath the choke. Repeat with remaining artichokes.
Arrange artichokes on a platter and spoon tomato salad into each of the cleaned out artichokes.

Notes

These can be served warm, room temperature or cold. Artichokes can be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated. After removing the choke, they can also be quartered, brushed with oil and grilled.

artichokes basil bay leaves garlic tomatoes

Hot spinach artichoke dip recipe

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas! Even though you haven’t heard from me in a few days, I have been cooking up a storm nonetheless! We arrived in NY to visit my family and between Christmas Eve for 79 people to breakfast-lunch-dinner for our clan of 15 every day, I’ve been busy in the kitchen. What has been fun is the team effort. My sisters, my mom and I have been planning and preparing together which really is the only way when you’re trying to figure out what to make that most everyone will like. My husband is actually pitching in as I type this and making baked ziti with my mother for tonight’s dinner. It is seriously hilarious listening to him explain his “method” to my Italian mother. Also nice to have the night off so I have a few minutes to write something for you lovely readers!

I always find at this time of year many of my friends and students are looking for a winner hors d’oeuvre for all the entertaining and football-watching they do. I have quite a few on the site already and you can check out the segments I did for our local news the last two years, but I would love to share this popular (although I wouldn’t say the most healthful) dip that is always very popular. Hot spinach artichoke dip is something my husband and my kids love to share in a restaurant. They somehow rationalize all the sour cream and cheese with the presence of spinach in there. This is a lighter version, but still warm, creamy and tastes just like the one you’ve had at your favorite restaurant. My kids like to scoop this onto crostini, pita chips or even tortilla chips. Although I’ve eaten the dip with sweet bell pepper strips and blanched cauliflower, I think they probably had the better idea.

I know you busy you all are and what you really want to know is how you can do this ahead of time so you you’re as relaxed as Ina when her guests arrive. Oh how I’d love to be invited over for cocktails and cards with Ina! But I digress. You will blend this whole concoction together in no time — no sauteeing or blanching — and keep it covered in the fridge until the next day when you want to serve it. Then uncover it and bake it for about 25 minutes until hot and melted and bubbly. I usually time this to be ready about 15 minutes after I’ve told my guests to arrive since no one these days shows up exactly on time, including yours truly. This dip is really best served hot and because there’s cheese in it, the longer it sits out, the more it firms up. So it’s best if you don’t have this out too early. I also recommend if you’re going to make a few for a longer cocktail party or football game to stagger them about an hour apart so you can serve a nice hot one a few times. Very recently I discovered a new and incredible way to eat leftovers of this dip — blended with beaten eggs and baked as a frittata, which is this photo right below.

Now you can have your fabulous hors d’oeuvre for New Year’s Eve and the beginnings of an amazing New Year’s Day breakfast. Does it get any better than this???

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Author: Pamela

Serves: makes about 3¾ cups or enough for about 8 people

Ingredients

10 ounces artichoke hearts frozen, defrosted or packed in water, drained
¼ cup chopped shallots
1 clove garlic
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I do this in a thin clean kitchen towel.)
½ cup Greek yogurt
½ cup Vegenaise or mayonnaise (I use soy-free Vegenaise.)
⅔ cup grated Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (I use Pecorino.)
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a food processor, coarsely chop the artichoke hearts with the shallots and garlic.
Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl.
Place in a 9 or 10-inch oven-proof dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, until hot and cheese is melted. Serve immediately.

artichokes garlic mayonnaise mozzarrella cheese parmesan cheese shallots spinach Vegenaise yogurt

Baked Chicken with Artichokes and Capers Recipe

Something tells me that you organized cooks out there are in the midst of planning your Easter and Passover menus. Am I right? My mom had me on the phone the other day trying to get side dish suggestions for her traditional Easter leg of lamb. After I spoke with her, I took a call from my mother-in-law to go over her Passover menu. This year we’ll be staying in California for the holidays and I’m on dessert duty. I’ll be making lots of coconut macaroons, my traditional lemon ice torte and a raw cashew cheesecake that I’m obsessed with. But if I were hosting Easter or Passover at my home (not that there’s anything wrong with lamb and brisket), I would make this Baked Chicken with Artichokes and Capers.

Normally, I don’t post a recipe until after I have finished teaching it, but I am just so excited about this chicken I can’t wait another day. It might be my favorite chicken recipe to date, which says a lot since I prepare chicken quite often. This dish has it all — great flavor, ease of preparation, healthfulness and seasonality. But really chicken isn’t even the star of this show. I actually came up with this recipe to work around one of my favorite springtime vegetables, artichokes.

I am going to cheat a little here. There are times when DIY is the way to go, as in chicken stock. And there are times when there is not enough patience in the world that could get me through trimming the number of artichokes it would take to fill this saute pan. (Although I am the same person that trimmed 10 pounds of Brussels sprout leaves for Christmas Eve dinner.) What’s different about this situation is that Trader Joe’s has come to my rescue with frozen artichoke hearts, an absolute gift and an affordable one, too. Not only do I always have a bag in my freezer at all times, but the other ingredients here are pantry staples, too — capers, white wine, bay leaves, mustard, which are all delicious with artichokes.

You may have followed similar recipes for chicken and dredged the chicken in flour first before browning it. The flour does help to the thicken the sauce a bit, but we can avoid the dredging altogether by adding the mustard to the sauce, which gives great flavor, as well as some body. Be sure to read my latest post on the secret to great-tasting chicken and you can decide if you want to salt the pieces or soak them in a wet brine. Both ways are very easy and definitely worth doing. Please note in that post that kosher chicken should not be salted or brined since it has already gone through a salting process. To make this recipe with boneless, skinless pieces, check out my recipe for Lemon-Thyme Chicken and follow those steps.

For a winner spring holiday lunch or dinner, pair this chicken with this asparagus salad or minted sugar snap peas, and some roasted new potatoes. I have a seriously fabulous vegan and gluten-free coconut tart coming your way soon!

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Baked Chicken with Artichokes and Capers

Author: Pamela

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

Brine: (do not brine kosher chicken)
1 cup hot water
¼ cup kosher salt
1 cup ice water
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
2 Tablespoons unrefined olive oil or coconut oil
1 medium onion, diced or sliced (as you prefer)
3 cloves garlic cloves, sliced
a big pinch of sea salt (or more if using unsalted stock)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
⅓ cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves (don’t worry if you don’t have them)
12 ounce bag frozen artichoke hearts or packed in water
2 Tablespoons capers
2 Tablespoons whole grain or stone ground mustard
¾ cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

In a large bowl, dissolve salt in hot water. Add ice water and check to make sure brine is cool. Add chicken to brine and allow to soak for 45 minutes, and up to an hour and a half. OR sprinkle ½ Tablespoon of kosher salt on the chicken when you get home from the market. Rewrap it and refrigerate it until ready to cook. (Do not brine kosher chicken.)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels.
In an ovenproof skillet or braising pan, over medium heat, add the oil. Brown chicken on both sides. Transfer to a plate and reserve.
Add onions to skillet and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, salt and pepper and sauté another minute or two. Carefully add wine to pan, and deglaze by scraping any brown bits on the bottom.
Add chicken, bay leaves, artichoke hearts, capers, mustard and stock to pan and bring to a boil. Place in oven for 30-35 minutes, until chicken is cooked through, basting after 15 minutes. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if available.

artichokes capers chicken garlic mustard onions stock white wine

Artichoke and spinach barley “risotto” recipe

Artichoke and Spinach Barley "Risotto" | Pamela Salzman

When I invited some friends over for dinner last Friday night, it seemed like a great idea. After I finished teaching a class and picking up the kids from school, I would have a few hours to get the house organized and prepare a proper meal before our guests arrived at 6:30. You know what they say about best laid plans. My husband didn’t make it home in time to take Mr. Picky to baseball practice. My girls each needed a ride here and there and then baseball practice was cut short because it was too dark to see the ball. So my uninterrupted time in the kitchen turned into Pamela’s taxi service. Has this ever happened to you?

It’s a very good thing that barley risotto was on the menu. Traditional risotto is one of my favorite comfort foods, but it definitely requires a bit of babysitting. Maybe I had a hunch that Friday would not be the night to stir a pot of rice on and off for 20 minutes, because I planned for a version of risotto which I could pop in the oven and say “see ya later.” Barley takes the place of the classic arborio rice in this dish. Like arborio rice, barley releases that nice starchiness which is essential to make the risotto creamy and rich. Barley also packs a nice bit of protein and soluble fiber, which helps reduce cholesterol levels and support digestive health, but is missing from white rice. Unfortunately, barley does contain gluten and is not appropriate for people who are gluten-intolerant.

This risotto almost parallels nature’s transition from winter to spring. It is hearty with the barley being a bit nutty and chewy, but the leeks, artichokes and lemon help keep everything tasting light and fresh. I am a huge fan of leeks and how grassy and mild they taste. If you don’t have leeks, feel free to use shallots or onions. I am not embarrassed to admit that I don’t enjoy trimming artichokes, so I keep frozen or water-packed artichoke hearts in the kitchen at all times. Or adapt your favorite risotto recipe to use barley instead.

There’s something about risotto which is like a warm blanket, encouraging you to slow down and relax for a bit. After a long week and a busy afternoon of shuttling children to and fro, it was so nice to sit down to a civilized dinner with friends. It didn’t even matter that the house never got organized.

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Artichoke and Spinach Barley "Risotto"

Author: Pamela

Serves: 6 as a side dish

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white and green parts (about 2 medium leeks), washed well
2 garlic cloves, minced
Sea salt
1 cup barley, semi-pearled or hulled (do NOT rinse)
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ cup dry white wine
3 ½ cups chicken stock or vegetable stock, preferably homemade
6 oz. artichoke hearts (frozen or water-packed is fine), quartered
½ cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large handfuls of spinach

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium ovenproof pot or Dutch oven, melt 2 Tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and sprinkle with sea salt. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Add the barley and the lemon zest and stir to combine. Add the wine, raise the heat, and simmer, uncovered, until the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Add all the stock, the artichokes and 1 teaspoon sea salt (add more to taste if your stock is unsalted), and bring to a boil.
Cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the oven. Say "see ya later!" Bake for about 1 hour, until the barley is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Remove the pot from the oven and uncover it. If it seems too liquidy, place over low heat and simmer a couple of minutes to reduce the liquid to your liking. I like it it a little looser than a pilaf. Otherwise, stir in the Parmesan, 1 Tablespoon butter, lemon juice, black pepper to taste and the raw spinach. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately. To reheat leftovers, add a little hot water in a saucepan or add enough stock to change it into a soup.

artichokes barley leeks spinach