Fresh Sauce With Artichokes And Pine Nuts Recipes

PASTA WITH ARTICHOKES AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Squeeze one lemon half into a large bowl of cold water. Pluck off all tough leaves from one artichoke, until you reach leaves that are pale and soft. Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, peel stem and trim base of artichoke, then dunk it in lemon water to keep it from browning. Cut off the top 1/3 of artichoke and discard. Cut artichoke in half; remove any inner purple leaves and scoop out the fuzzy choke if there is one. Thinly slice artichoke lengthwise to include some of the heart. Put slices in the lemon water and leave them there as you cut remaining artichokes.
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil, then cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in pancetta and cook until browned and crispy, stirring occasionally, 8 to 12 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate; leave fat in pan.
• Drain the artichokes, shaking them well to remove excess water. Raise heat under pan to medium-high, and stir in artichokes, leeks, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and cook until golden brown and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and stir in vermouth, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of skillet.
• Stir in cooked pasta, pancetta, chives and parsley. If the mixture seems dry, add pasta water, a little at a time. Stir in more salt to taste, Parmesan and lemon juice to taste.
• Transfer to serving plates and top with a drizzle of oil, more black pepper, and more grated cheese.

ORZO WITH ARTICHOKES AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Cook orzo in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain in a colander.
• While orzo cooks, lightly toast pine nuts in a dry small skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 1 minute, then coarsely chop.
• Drain artichoke hearts in a large sieve and rinse well. Pull off leaves from bases of hearts and quarter bases. Rinse leaves and bases well, then drain thoroughly.
• Stir together oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add orzo, pine nuts, artichokes (leaves and bases), parsley, and zest and toss to combine.

FRESH FRUIT WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine sour cream, brown sugar and vanilla. Serve alongside the strawberries and grapes for a dipping sauce.

ARTICHOKE STEW WITH PINE NUTS

Steps:

• In a glass or ceramic bowl, combine the vinegar and the water. Remove the outer leaves from each artichoke and trim the tops and bottoms. Lay the artichoke on its side and, with a small sharp knife cut away from the bottom towards the top on a slant, to form points. The edges should look scalloped, the bottoms rounded, and the tops pointed. As you trim each artichoke, place it in the bowl of acidulated water to stop it from discoloring.
• In a large nonmetal saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium low heat. Add the bacon and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden. Pour off all but about 1 1/2 tablespoons of fat from the pan and discard it. Add the onion and cook for 6 to 7 minutes more, until softened, then add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more, until the aroma of the garlic is released. Add the tomatoes to the pan and increase the heat to medium. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until all the liquid has evaporated. Add the broth, salt, and pepper and bring the liquid to a boil. Drain the artichokes well and add them to the pan. Reduce the heat so that the liquid is simmering and cook for about 25 to 30 minutes, covered. Transfer the artichokes to a serving dish and keep warm in a low oven. Increase the heat to high and boil the sauce until it has reduced to about 1 cup. Taste for seasoning and then pour the sauce over the artichokes. Squeeze some lemon juice evenly over the artichokes, scatter the toasted pine nuts over the top, and serve.