Lemon Artichokes And Eggs Recipes

STEAMED ARTICHOKES WITH LEMON BUTTER

Steps:

• Pull off any brown or very tough outer leaves from one artichoke. Use a sharp knife to cut off the top 1 inch of artichoke, then rub with the cut side of the lemon. Use kitchen shears or scissors to cut the pointy tops off the remaining outer layer of leaves. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to peel the stem down to its tender pale-colored core; immediately rub the stem with a lemon half. Use your fingers to separate the center leaves to expose the fuzzy pale choke sitting on top of the heart. Use a grapefruit spoon (or other spoon) to scoop out the choke, and rub a little lemon juice over the exposed flesh. Repeat with the remaining artichokes.
• Fill a medium pot with 2 inches of water, place a steamer basket inside, and bring water to a simmer. Place the artichokes bottoms down on the rack, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer over low heat until you can easily pull off an artichoke leaf, 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the steamer basket and transfer to a serving platter.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic and salt. Slowly whisk in butter. To serve, have everyone pull off the leaves and dunk the meaty bottoms into the lemon butter, swirling to mix butter with each dip (the butter will separate as it sits).

WHOLE ARTICHOKES WITH LEMON-THYME DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Fill 5-quart saucepan two-thirds full with water. Heat to boiling.
• Use knife to trim thick stem at bottoms of each artichoke. Using scissors, snip off tips of leaves. Cut and discard 1 1/2 inches off top of each artichoke. Rinse artichokes thoroughly with cold running water, and transfer them to pan of boiling water. Add juice of 1 lemon and salt to taste. Cover; cook over medium-low heat about 45 minutes or until bottoms of artichokes are tender.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, beat dipping sauce ingredients with whisk until emulsified. Pour into dipping bowl, and set aside.
• Gently remove cooked artichokes from hot water and place upside down on cooling rack to drain 5 minutes. Turn right side up, and gently pull open tops of artichokes until you see pale yellow leaves, and pull those out to reveal the hairy choke. Use a spoon to scoop out the choke. Use your hands to gently close up the artichokes.
• To eat, pull off leaves starting at base, dip in sauce and bite off soft part found at base of each leaf. Discard remaining part of leaf. Once all leaves are gone, you will find the artichoke heart. Eat that part with the help of a fork and knife, dipping it in sauce.

GREEK LEMON, ARTICHOKE, AND EGG SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the rice thoroughly and place it, along with the water, in the slow cooker insert.
• In a sauté pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion, celery, and artichokes over medium-high heat until just beginning to brown, about 7 minutes.
• Add the vegetables to the water and rice, cover, and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours, or until the rice is tender. Add the cumin and 1/4 cup of the parsley to the soup.
• In a medium bowl and using a whisk or a handheld immersion blender, beat the eggs and lemon juice together until frothy. Slowly add 2 ladles of broth, 1 ladle at a time, stirring constantly, to the lemon and egg mixture.
• Add the lemon and broth mixture back into the soup, stirring constantly, and continue cooking for about 10 minutes more, or until heated through and beginning to thicken. (If you allow the soup to boil, the eggs will curdle.)
• Add salt and pepper to taste, ladle into bowls, garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup parsley, and serve immediately.
• Suggested Beverage
• A nice Sauvignon Blanc or an artisanal Greek retsina, if you can find one, would pair well with this soup.

ARTICHOKES WITH LEMON AND DILL

Steps:

• Pour 2 tablespoons lemon juice into large bowl of water. Cut stem from 1 artichoke; pull off and discard 3 outer bottom layers of leaves, exposing pale green base. Carefully trim artichoke base and leaf ends. Cut artichoke in half. Using small spoon, remove choke and prickly leaves from center. Rub cut edges of artichoke with cut side of lemon half. Place artichoke in bowl of water and lemon juice. Repeat trimming of remaining artichokes, placing each in water with lemon juice.
• Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add green onions; sauté until tender, about 3 minutes. Add 3 cups water, dill, sugar, salt and 1/4 cup lemon juice. Bring to simmer. Drain artichokes; add to Dutch oven. Cover, simmer until artichoke bottoms are tender and leaves can be pulled off easily, occasionally pushing artichokes under water, about 30 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer artichokes to platter; reserve cooking liquid. Test artichokes with foil to keep warm, if desired.
• Place flour in small bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Pour flour mixture into liquid in Dutch oven; bring to boil, stirring. Cook until sauce thickens, stirring constantly and thinning with more water if necessary, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over artichokes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

LEMON SPAGHETTI WITH ROASTED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Gently pat the artichoke hearts with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Place the artichoke hearts in a mound in the center of the baking sheet. Add 2 tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon salt, season with pepper and gently toss to combine. Scatter the artichoke hearts in an even layer and roast for 20 minutes. Flip the hearts and roast for an additional 10 minutes, until browned and a little crisp around the edges.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes or according to package directions.
• While the pasta cooks, in a serving dish large enough to accommodate the spaghetti, add the Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and the lemon zest; toss to combine. Add the lemon juice and the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil; stir to combine. The mixture should resemble a thick paste.
• Place the serving dish next to the pasta pot. Scoop out and reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of it over the Parmesan-lemon mixture; stir to thin out the mixture a little.
• Using tongs, lift out some of the spaghetti (with its cooking water still clinging to it) and transfer to the Parmesan-lemon mixture; quickly toss and drag the spaghetti in a circular motion around the dish to incorporate the sauce. Repeat until you have transferred and tossed all of the spaghetti.
• Add the butter, basil and 1 tablespoon of the pasta water to the spaghetti, and keep tossing until you have a silky sauce clinging to it. Add more pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed.
• Top with the roasted artichokes, a little more black pepper and torn basil, and serve.

ARTICHOKES WITH EGGS

Steps:

• Set the artichokes upright and gently spread the leaves away from the center. Using a tablespoon scoop out the center cluster of leaves and scrape away all of the fuzzy ''choke'' beneath them. Do not scrape away any of the fleshy bottom. Place artichokes on a serving dish or on individual plates.
• Lightly beat the eggs with the mustard, lemon rind, lemon juice and salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a skillet and scramble the eggs over medium heat until just set - do not overcook them - they should be fairly soft. Remove the eggs to a bowl and fold in the chive. Spoon some of the eggs into the cavity of each artichoke.
• Spoon two or three tablespoons of the dressing on the eggs in the center of each artichoke and serve.