Beautiful green globes of artichokes can be found in the markets. We were excited to return to a recipe we published way back in 2007 that makes for a simple, delicious main or side dish. Give it a try this week.
(adapted from a cooking class with chef Roberto Donna)
Serves 6
1/2-3/4 lb. Italian pork sausage, casing removed
1 1/2 c. Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 c. finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, finely-chopped
2 lemons
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 c. dry white wine
3/4 c. good olive oil
6 medium artichokes (8 to 9 oz each)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together sausage, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic, parsley, and zest of lemon, salt, and pepper. Drizzle with 1/2 c. olive oil and mix again.
Trim the artichokes and remove outer leaves. Separate leaves slightly with your thumbs to pull out purple leaves from center and enough yellow leaves to expose fuzzy choke. Scoop out choke then squeeze some lemon juice into cavity.
Spoon about 4 Tbls. (or more depending on size) of stuffing into cavity of each artichoke. Place artichokes in a deep baking dish and pour wine over the artichokes and about 1/2 c. water into the bottom of the dish. Drizzle artichokes with olive oil and add more salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil and cook for about 35 minutes. When bottom is cooked they are done.
Note: Stuffing may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
This recipe takes about 30-40 minutes, mostly unattended. We served it with mild Italian sausage from the farmers market (cooked on the grill) and Spring Greens Gratin.
Serves 6
About 2 dozen baby artichokes (this was 2 packs from Whole Foods for $4.50 each)
About 1/3 c. good olive oil
1 lg. clove garlic, roughly chopped
½ c. white wine
1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Quickly trim artichokes by removing outer leaves, cutting off the sharp top and then the stem. Cut into quarters and place in a bowl of water with a little lemon juice to prevent them from turning brown.
In a sauté pan, add olive oil and while it is heating, drain the artichokes well and then add them to the pan. Saute until they start to brown about 5-8 minutes. Add wine, garlic, a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Let cook for about 20-25 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Cover with a lid and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving. They are best served warm or at room temperature, but not piping hot.
(from Pinch My Salt)
1 head cauliflower
extra-virgin olive oil
1 c. artichoke hearts (cook your own or use canned)
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
4 c. vegetable stock (or substitute chicken broth or plain water)
1 c. light cream (or half and half, whole milk, or even heavy cream)
zest of one lemon
leaves from a few sprigs of fresh thyme, crushed
salt
freshly-ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Wash cauliflower then cut into flowerets.
In a large bowl toss cauliflower with enough olive oil to lightly coat all the pieces then spread them out in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Place cauliflower in a preheated 425 degree oven and roast, turning pieces occasionally until almost tender (between 20-30 minutes). Remove cauliflower pieces to a bowl with tongs; set aside.
There should be some olive oil left on the baking sheet. Very carefully pour the leftover oil into a soup pot or dutch oven. Add minced garlic to the oil in the pot and saute over medium heat until just golden. Add cauliflower, artichoke hearts and vegetable stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Turn heat way down and simmer for a few minutes until cauliflower is fully tender (check with fork). Remove pot from heat and let cool slightly.
Puree the soup until smooth using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender. Return to pot. Gently reheat soup then add one cup of light cream, zest of one lemon (not juice), crushed thyme, and lots of salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Soup can be thinned with extra broth or water if desired. Remove from heat when soup is heated through again.
he next time you decide to have a party, consider this: invite new acquaintances, a few older folks (the “grown-ups”), a couple of younger pals, and 
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