Susan's Daily Tips

Baby Artichokes

Have you ever wondered what to do with those baby artichokes in the market? I love artichokes but the thought of struggling with the babies was too much. I was happily surprised to find the baby 'chokes are a cinch to prepare. Trim a thin slice from the stem end and about 1/2 inch down from the petal end. Then working around the 'choke, bend the petals back, grabbing two or three petals at a time, and twist to snap them off until only pale yellow leaves remain. Halve or quarter the artichokes, depending on their size. As they're trimmed, toss them into a large bowl of cold water to which you've added the juice of a lemon. The acid in the lemon helps to prevent darkening.

Because they're all heart without any tough fibers, baby artichokes cook quickly. Steam, boil, braise, sauté or cook in the microwave and they'll be tender in 10-15 minutes. When you need an artichoke fix -- fast --it's the babies you should cook.

Baby Artichokes with Shallot and Mint
Serves 4

In this recipe, the baby artichokes are trimmed and sautéed in olive oil with shallots or thin wedges of red onion. Sprinkled with chopped fresh mint and drizzled with a little balsamic vinegar, they're fabulous served as a side dish with grilled boneless lamb sirloin steaks.

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 pounds baby artichokes (15-20), rinsed, trimmed and halved or quartered
8 ounces shallots, trimmed and peeled, halved or quartered, if large, or 1 medium red onion cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (optional)

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat; add the olive oil. Drain the artichokes and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Add to the hot olive oil and stir to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, cut side down, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the shallots or onions and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are golden and tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes more.

2. Sprinkle with the mint and stir to blend. Remove from the heat. Drizzle with the vinegar, if using. Serve at once as a vegetable side dish.

Per serving: 210 calories, 7 g protein, 28 g carbohydrates, 10 g fat, 0
cholesterol, 170 mg sodium, 10 g fiber. Calories from fat: 43 percent.

Source: Richmond resident and cookbook author Marie Simmons at
marie.simmons@ comcast.net .

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