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Chef2Chef Recipe Club - Volume 6 Issue 69 - April 8, 2004 Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net -------------------------------------------------- Hello Recipe Club, Nearly one hundred percent of all artichokes grown commercially in the United States are grown in California. While artichokes are a small industry compared to broccoli, grapes and lettuce, they add nearly $50 million to the economy of the state and a whole lot of panache. Approximately 80% of the state's total acreage lies within Monterey County. Nowhere else in the world is there such a concentrated area of production, consistently yielding over 3 million cartons of delicious artichokes every year. Recognizing that no other vegetable grown in Monterey County can claim such prominence, the Board of Supervisors of Monterey County declared the artichoke to be "the Official Vegetable of Monterey" in 1986. The heart of the artichoke industry is located near Castroville in Monterey County and Castroville proudly proclaims itself to be "The Artichoke Center of the World" on a huge banner that spans the main street. Smaller banners depicting artichokes decorate the light poles and a restaurant/fruit stand called the Giant Artichoke actually has a giant artichoke for photo ops. Surrounded by thousands of acres of silvery artichoke plants, the town pulls out all stops to celebrate its major crop in May with a 2-day festival. WHAT IS AN ARTICHOKE? A native of the Mediterranean, the artichoke is a perennial in the thistle group of the sunflower (Compositae) family. In full growth, the plant spreads to cover an area about six feet in diameter and reaches a height of three to four feet. Its long, arching, deeply serrated leaves give the plant a fern-like appearance. The Green Globe cultivar accounts for essentially all the artichokes grown in this area. The "vegetable" that we eat is actually the plant's flower bud. If allowed to flower, the blossoms measure up to seven inches in diameter and are a beautiful violet-blue color. The size of the bud depends upon where it is located on the plant. The largest are "terminal" buds produced at the end of the long central stems. These are the ones you are most likely to see from the car during a springtime drive throughout the area. Buds are smaller lower on the stem. LABOR-INTENSIVE CROP While California artichokes are available throughout the year, peak season is March through May and again to a smaller degree in October. They are an extremely labor-intensive crop as the harvesting is done entirely by hand; and, because artichokes on the same plant mature at different times, the same field will be harvested every seven days during peak season. Labor represents 40 to 60 percent of the growing costs. The largest and most of the smallest artichokes are sold to the fresh market. About one-fourth of the crop is used for canned artichoke hearts and bottoms (crowns) or frozen, quartered artichokes. http://www.artichokes.org/ -------------------------------------------------- Recipe Club, You can always win cool stuff at Chef2Chef.net Chefs, Caterers and Personal Chefs…No More Masking Tape! Win a New DayMark Label Applicator and 6000 dissolvable labels. A $131 value. Four winners each month. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=408 Do you need a brand new Chef Knife? Chef Revival is giving away five 7 inch Santoku-Granton Knives on April 30th to some lucky Chef2Chef.net Recipe Club members. Register for a chance to Win! http://ads.chef2Chef.net/goto.php?id=36 Register to win a copy of the Chef of the Month, Mario Batali's cookbook, Babbo. A must have for your cookbook collection http://marketplace.chef2chef.net/sweep/ Sign up for a FREE Subscription to Food Arts Magazine. The Magazine for the Foodservice and Hospitality Industry. U.S. residents only. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=242 -------------------------------------------------- Party Artichokes with Three Dips Ingredients: 4 large California artichokes Preparation: Wash artichokes under cold, running water. Cut off stem at base and remove small bottom leaves. Stand artichokes upright in deep saucepan large enough to hold snugly. Add 1 teaspoon salt and two to three inches boiling water. (Lemon juice, herbs, garlic powder or onion powder may be added, if desired.) Cover and boil gently 35 to 45 minutes or until base can be pierced easily with a fork. (Add a little more boiling water, if needed.) Turn artichokes upside down to drain. Cool completely; cover and refrigerate to chill. Selection of dips Creamy Thai Dip Ingredients: 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger Preparation: Combine all ingredients;,mix well. Makes about 3/4 cup. Variation: For "Oriental Dip," omit peanut butter. Honey Mustard Dip Ingredients: 1/4 cup prepared mustard 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 2 tablespoons honey Preparation: Combine all ingredients mix well. Makes about 1/2 cup. "SHIP AHOY!" DIP Ingredients: 1 can (6-1/2 ounces) minced clams 2 tablespoons reserved clam juice 3 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt Preparation: Drain clams, reserving 2 tablespoons clam juice. Blend cream cheese with lemon juice and garlic salt. Stir in clams and reserved clam juice. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes about 3/4 cup. COOK'S TIP: Cooked and chilled artichokes are easy to keep on hand for quick snacks or impromptu parties. Refrigerated in a covered container, they will keep up to a week. -------------------------------------------------- Welcome to Simply Saffron. Saffron is the dried stigmas of the flower ‘crocus sativus Linnaeus'. Its vibrant colour and beautiful aroma provides the perfect complement to all cuisine. Simply Saffron specializes in the sale of Sargol saffron, the finest and purest saffron in the world. If you are interested in acquiring any other specie of saffron then please contact us and we will endeavour to help you. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=411 -------------------------------------------------- Jim Coleman's Artichoke and Pine Nut Soup Ingredients: 4 Fresh Artichokes (1/2 cup frozen hearts) 1/2 Yellow Onion, finely chopped 2 Celery Stalks, finely chopped 3 tbsp. Olive Oil 4 cups Chicken Stock 1 Medium Potato, peeled and coarsely chopped 3 tbsp. Brandy 2 tsp. Dried Tarragon Salt & White Pepper to Taste 1/4 cup Toasted Pine nuts 1/2 cup Heavy Cream Preparation: With each artichoke, about 1/4 of the way down, cut off the top of the artichoke. Trim off the outer tougher leaves until you get to the tender inside ones. Open up the center of the artichoke and remove the prickly core. Cut each artichoke into 6ths. In a large saucepot, over medium-high heat, heat the oil and sauté the artichokes, onion and celery until golden about 4-5 minutes. Deglaze with brandy. Add the chicken stock, potato, tarragon and cream. Continue cooking until potatoes and artichokes are tender and soup has thickened. About 30-40 minutes. In a food processor or blender, purée the soup in batches and strain back into a saucepan. Season with salt and white pepper and reheat until hot. Serve in soup bowls and top with roasted pine nuts (C) 2001 Multi Media Productions, Inc. -------------------------------------------------- Pepper-Passion.com "Pepper-Passion is a source for gourmet Sea-Salt and Peppercorns including our exclusive "Talamanca De Caribe" organic Black Pepper. We are also the creator of the Aphrodite Salt & Pepper Mill and other unique signature designs handcrafted from rare and exotic tropical hardwoods. A perfect gift with lasting value for any occasion." http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=401 -------------------------------------------------- Patrick Mould's Crawfish-Artichoke Havarti Cheese Bisque Serves 6 to 8 people Ingredients: 2 sticks of butter 1/2 cup diced onion 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper 1/4 cup diced celery 1 tablespoon garlic 1/2 cup flour 2 teaspoons salt 2 pints half & half 2 cups chicken broth 1/2 teaspoon thyme 2-14 ounce cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained 2 teaspoons hot sauce 1/4 pound Havarti cheese 1 pound crawfish tails 1/4 cup minced parsley 1/4 cup minced green onions Preparation: Heat butter in a heavy pan over low to medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic, cook until onions start to turn clear. Add flour and cook for additional five minutes being careful not to brown flour. Whisk in half- &-half, then chicken stock until sauce is smooth and creamy. Add thyme, salt, artichoke hearts and hot sauce,simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Add cheese and continue to cook until cheese is melted. Stir in crawfish tails and continue to simmer for 15 minutes until crawfish are heated thoroughly. Stir in parsley and green onions. -------------------------------------------------- Revolutiontea.com A Revolution in Taste and Quality. Revolution Tea is proud to offer an assortment of the highest quality full-leaf tea crafted to suit the taste of today's palate. Our premium teas are available loose or in the nylon Infuser and Pyramid Tea Bag(TM). These innovative brewing systems combine the convenience of a traditional tea bag with the flavor quality of full-leaf tea, enabling even the most discriminating tea drinker to enjoy loose-leaf tea in a bag. Drink it in(C). http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=393 -------------------------------------------------- Roasted Artichokes Ingredients: 4 medium artichokes 1 large lemon - juiced Water Olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper bouquet garni 2 tablespoons dry white wine Preparation: Snap off several layers of the tough outer leaves of artichokes by pulling them downward so that they break off at the base. Stop when inner leaves become a lighter yellowish green and look tender. Trim stems and slice off top third of artichokes. With a paring knife, smooth rough areas around base, removing any dark green parts. Cut trimmed artichoke into sixths. Remove fuzzy chokes with paring knife. As you work, drop trimmed artichokes into bowl with lemon juice and enough water to cover. When all are done, drain, pat artichokes dry with towel and toss with enough oil to moisten well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in single layer in lightly oiled 13x9-inch baking dish. Add bouquet garni and wine, cover with wax paper, then with foil. Bake at 400 degrees 35 minutes, then uncover and bake until crisp around edges and beginning to brown, about 25 minutes more. -------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS, Comments, Technical Support: http://forums.chef2chef.net |