Roasted Artichokes With Ricotta And Peas Recipes

ROASTED ARTICHOKES RECIPE (EASY!)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C).
• Repeat steps 2 and 3 with all three artichokes.

BAKED ORZO WITH ARTICHOKES AND PEAS

Steps:

• Make the béchamel and set aside.
• Prepare the artichokes. Fill a bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Cut away the stem and the top third of each artichoke, break off the leaves and trim them down to the bottoms, placing them in the water as you go along. Quarter them and slice large quarters about 1/4 inch thick. Save the leaves and steam them; serve them as a first course or a side dish.
• Drain the artichoke hearts and dry on a clean dish towel. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet. Add the sliced artichoke hearts and cook, stirring, until lightly browned and tender, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn down the heat and add the garlic. Cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds, and remove from the heat.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 2-quart baking dish. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil and add the orzo. Cook 5 minutes, add the peas and continue to boil for another 4 minutes, until the orzo is just tender but still firm to the bite. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the artichokes, herbs, béchamel and Parmesan and stir together until the sauce coats all of the other ingredients. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
• Place in the oven and bake 30 minutes, until lightly colored on top.

ARTICHOKE RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the artichoke hearts and reduce the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the hearts are beginning to brown. Remove to a plate and set aside.
• To the same pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the butter and the shallots and cook for 1 minute, stirring regularly. Add the rice and salt and stir with a wooden spoon to coat all the kernels with oil. Continue to cook for 3 minutes, or until the rice is sizzling. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it is almost completely absorbed. Now begin adding the chicken broth, one cup at a time, stirring frequently between additions. After the first cup is almost entirely absorbed, add the next cup. Continue in this way until the rice is cooked through and you have a creamy risotto, about 20 minutes in all. (The risotto should be slightly loose, not dry; it should run off your spoon. If it gets too dry, add a bit more broth.) Stir in the peas, feta, chives, mint and black pepper. Gently stir in the artichoke hearts and the lemon juice. Serve.