Makes: 10 portion garnish. Cooking time: 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
— 10 prepared artichoke bottoms
— 1 liter blanch preparation
Method:
(1) Place the artichoke bottoms into the gently simmering blanch and cover with a muslin cloth until they are cooked.
(2) Remove the saucepan from the stove and allow the artichokes to remain in the blanc until required.
Reheating
If required whole reheat the artichokes in the liquid in which they were originally cooked or in hot water with the addition of lemon juice and salt.
Quartered artichoke bottoms however are generally reheated in butter with the addition of a little lemon juice.
Assessment of the completed dish
(1) The bottoms should be cooked but firm and undamaged.
(2) They should not be fibrous.
(3) They should be whitish in color, not grey or brown.
(4) They should be well shaped and cleanly cut with the choke completely removed.
Extensions
Artichoke bottoms may be served as part of an hors-d’oeuvre, as a garnish to accompany meat and poultry items, as a garnish to or an integral part of potato and fish dishes, and also as a vegetable in its own right.