Castroville Special Recipes

GRILLED CASTROVILLE ARTICHOKE TARRAGON REMOULADE

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat. (The artichokes can also be done in a grill pan.)
• Using a heavy-duty pair of kitchen shears, cut the pointy tips off the leaves of the artichokes. Put the artichokes in a large pot and add cold water to cover. Add the white wine, lemons, garlic, thyme and 3 tablespoons salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 30 minutes or until a paring knife easily pierces the heart. Remove from heat and allow to cool in the cooking liquid.
• Meanwhile, make the remoulade sauce. In a food processor or by hand with a whisk, mix together the yolks and mustard. Add the oil in a slow, steady stream until the mixture is smooth and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped herbs and, if desired, Pernod to taste.
• Peel off the outer leaves and halve the artichokes. Using a spoon, scrape the choke from the center of the heart.
• Grill the artichokes, turning once, until heated through and lightly charred on the outside, about 4 minutes. The artichokes can also be served chilled, without grilling. Serve with the remoulade.

CASTROVILLE ARTICHOKE SANDWICH

Steps:

• 1. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, and garlic. Set aside. 2. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Put the flour in a shallow bowl. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the oregano, salt, and pepper. One at a time, dip the artichoke hearts in the flour, then the eggs, then back into the flour. Place on the waxed paper. 3. Place a large wire cake rack over a jelly roll pan. In a deep Dutch oven, melt vegetable shortening over high heat to a depth of 2 to 3 inches and heat it to 365°F. Deep-fry the artichoke hearts until golden, about 3 minutes. Using a wire-mesh skimmer, transfer to the wire rack to drain briefly. 4. Split the rolls and pull some of the soft crumb from each roll to form a trench to hold the artichokes. Spread each roll with mayonnaise. Place equal amounts of the artichokes in each roll and serve immediately.