Ingredients for Pan Saute Artichoke
- 2 whole medium artichokes
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon of peppercorns
- 4 bay leafs
- 2 teaspoons of slat
Ingredients for Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Rustic Tapenade
- 1 Cup Kalamata Pitted Olives
- ¾ Cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes
- ¼ Cup Fresh Basil Leaves
- 1 Clove Garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Zest
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
- Salt & Pepper to taste if desired
Ingredients for White Bean Puree
- 1 1/2 cups dry Great Northern beans
- 1 onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme plus 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
- 2 cloves of garlic (1 smashed and 1 minced) and 1 bay leaf
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme plus 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
- 6 cups chicken broth
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- Few drops extra-virgin olive oil
Cleaning Artichokes
2 whole artichokes
with a scissor cut the tops of the pointy leaves
peel the stem and the bottom of the artichoke cone
Boil in a pot of water with the above ingredients until tender about 15-20 minutes depending on the size.
Discard the water and chill artichokes in refrigerator
Once chilled remove some of the outer tough layers and you are left with the heart and a few leaves
With a spoon clean out the center of the heart
Then you are ready to pan sauté
Cut them in half and sauté in olive oil, with salt & white pepper.
Sauté both sides till golden brown
For a Quick Short Cut you can buy Canned Artichoke hearts or the Italian Canned Artichokes with the stems
Sea Bass
4 portions of 6 ounce corvine sea bass
sprinkle salt on both sides of the fish
sauté the fish on medium high heat in olive oil in a non stick pan until golden brown on one side, then flip the fish and place in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes
Blistered Cherry Tomato
Take 8 red cherry tomatoes and 4 yellow cherry tomatoes. Saute on high heat with salt and pepper and very little oil till they blister or char about 1-2 minutes
Directions for Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Rustic Tapenade (Makes 2 cups)
Coarsely chop the olives and place in a bowl. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes, the basil, and finely mince the garlic and add to bowl. Zest and juice the lemon and add that to the bowl as well.
Mix it all up, and taste. Add more lemon, salt and pepper if desired.
Directions for White Bean Puree
1. Soak the beans overnight. Or place beans in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat; remove from heat and set aside, covered, for 1 hour.
2. Drain the beans; transfer to a 2-quart pot with the diced onion, smashed garlic, bay leaf, thyme sprigs, 5 cups of broth, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat; simmer until beans are very tender, about 75 minutes.
3. Drain the beans; discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Warm the beans in a pan over medium heat. Add the cream, salt, and white pepper. Let simmer. Cook until the cream is reduced and is almost dry on the beans, about 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Puree the beans in a food processor, adding a few drops of oil. Adjust seasonings.Top of Form
For a Kitchen Short Cut you can use canned white beans and drain the juice then start at step 3 and sauté away.