Tasty Artichokes by Tom English
Submitted by Stacy on Friday, 9 April 2010No Comment
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Todd English’s Tasty ArtichokesWhen it comes to this seasonal vegetable, chef and restaurateur Todd English says think outside the box. Here, he shares two unique meals that feature this flavorful ingredient, including papa carciofi (artichoke soup) and carciofi cacio pepe (shaved artichoke spaghetti).
Papa carciofi
Todd English
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 Spanish onion, thinly sliced
• 1 heaping tablespoon chopped pancetta
• 6 large fresh artichoke bottoms, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups cubed day-old bread (hearty peasant loaf), 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved for garnish
• 1/4 cup chopped mint
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 8 oz lump crab meat or Jonah crab
When it comes to this seasonal vegetable, chef and restaurateur Todd English says think outside the box. Here, he shares two unique meals that feature this flavorful ingredient, including papa carciofi (artichoke soup) and carciofi cacio pepe (shaved artichoke spaghetti).
Papa Carciofi
Todd English
Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 Spanish onion, thinly sliced
• 1 heaping tablespoon chopped pancetta
• 6 large fresh artichoke bottoms, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups chicken broth or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups cubed day-old bread (hearty peasant loaf), 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shaved for garnish
• 1/4 cup chopped mint
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 8 oz lump crab meat or Jonah crab
DIRECTIONS
Place a large saucepan over medium heat, and when hot, add oil. Add garlic, onion and pancetta, stirring well after each addition, and cook until the onion has softened but not colored for 2 to 3 minutes. Add artichokes and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, increase heat to medium-high, bring to low boil and cook until artichokes are soft for 5-7 minutes. Add bread cubes. Cook for 2 minutes.
Toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper and place on sheet pan and roast in oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until charred. Remove and let cool to room temperature. Lightly toss into the crab meat with a tablespoon of olive oil.
Serve at room temp in small bowls. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, garnish with chopped mint and shaved Parmesan cheese.
Carciofi cacio pepe (shaved artichoke spaghetti)
Todd English
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
• 1 pound fresh spaghetti
• 1/2 cup walnuts (toasted)
• 1 pound baby artichokes (shaved)
• 2 cups pecorino
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 bunch chopped parsley
DIRECTIONS
Baby artichokes
Peel artichokes down and shave them on a Japanese mandolin or very sharp knife. In a large saute pan cook shaved artichokes in extra-virgin olive oil over medium-low heat, until tender, for about 4 minutes.
Toasted walnuts
Place whole walnuts on a sheet pan and toast in 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes until color darkens. Remove from heat, and let cool. Once cool, chop in food processor or grate using microplane.
Spaghetti
In a 6-quart saucepan, boil 1 pound spaghetti until soft, about 8 minutes. While pasta is cooking, ladle 4-6 ounces of the boiling pasta water for use in sauce (see method below). Strain pasta and put directly into sauce.
Sauce
In a medium bowl, combine grated pecorino, coarsely ground black pepper and ground walnuts. Pour 4-6 ounces hot pasta water over mixture and whisk until sauce comes together and cheese melts. Toss in cooked shaved baby artichokes and chopped parsley, stirring to coat.
Place in serving bowls, garnish with shaved pecorino, shaved raw baby artichokes and leftover ground walnuts.
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