Summertime and the Eating is Easy
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It is high summer now and the heat is on. This delicious dish is quick, easy and needs only one pot.
My favorite artichoke dish is a perfect summer side dish or salad. The artichokes are braised in fruity olive oil, white wine and lots of lemon. I add a small spicy chili to braising liquid to add a bit of kick to the dish.
This Provencal vegetable stew is delicious hot or cold. We serve it over chicken schnitzel and allow the rich braising liquid to moisten crispy schnitzels. YUM!
Artichokes Barigoule (Artichokes stewed in olive oil and white wine)
1 lemon, zested and juiced + 4 thin slices lemon
4 medium artichokes
½ cup best quality extra-virgin olive oil
10 white button mushrooms
6 cloves garlic, smashed
2 medium carrots, cut into 3" pieces
½ cup dry white wine
1 small spicy chili pepper, sliced thinly (optional)
¼ cup pitted and chopped Kalamata olives
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
½ cup torn basil leaves
Good sized pinch of piment d'Espelette* or hot paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. Combine lemon juice and 6 cups water in a large bowl. Cut away tough outer leaves on the artichoke's base until you reach inner yellow leaves. Using a serrated knife, cut the artichoke in half lengthwise. Using a peeler or sharp knife, remove green outer layer from stem and base. Trim off bottom ½" of stem. Use a spoon to scoop out fuzzy choke from center of artichoke. Transfer to lemon water. Repeat with remaining artichokes.
2. Drain the artichokes. Heat a large sauté pan with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add artichokes cut side down, with mushrooms, garlic, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to brown, about 8–10 minutes. Add the lemon slices and wine, Reduce wine by half, about 3-4 minutes. Add enough water to just cover vegetables; bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until vegetables are tender, 12-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Using tongs, transfer artichokes, carrots, and mushrooms to a bowl. Increase the heat and reduce the braising liquid to ⅓ cup, about 8-10 minutes. Add back the artichokes, mushrooms, carrots, and olives; heat through. Garnish with lemon zest, parsley, basil and paprika.
Serve the barigoule hot with chicken, fish or beef, or serve cold.
*Espelette pepper is a variety of chili pepper that was originally grown in Mexico, transplanted to the Basque region of France and cultivated there. The peppers are harvested in October, dried and made into ground or pureed pepper. The peppers are not really spicy, but are fruity and very flavorful. Piment d’Espelette can be easily found online or in gourmet stores.
