artichoke french recipe

Hello Marilyn, and welcome to the Cafe.

Can you please describe the dish a bit? Is it stuffed, braised, baked, etc.? What ingredients can you identify? Is the artichoke whole, halved or what?

Let's start our detective work there. :)

Artichokes "French" served in most "Italian" restaurants? Hm :confused:

Hey oh

Would these be them?

http://www.bazilrestaurant.com/Bazil_Menu.htm

http://www.phillipseuropean.com/dinner_appetizers.asp

http://www.where-to-dine.com/M/M219.asp


In a nutshell,

Artichokes French

Tender artichoke hearts that are 1) bare, 2) battered 3) egg dipped << your choice
Fried a light golden brown

Served in a sauce of:
Sherry
Lemon
Butter
With or without garlic
With or without Cheese
The cheese may or may not be parmesan

Garnished with
Lemon wedges and/or grated cheese that may or may not be parmesan and/or onion wedges cooked clear with a light carmelising on the outer edges (the last from a pic that I didn't link)

I would also add some salt and pepper, but hey, I'm funny that way

Hey oh

Unfortunatly, this is the greater truth in cooking. It does not come with measurments. You may be suprised, but the US is the only nation that really wants measurments on everything. This is a classic type of recipe that will always be different chef to chef. When you make it, it will reflect your palete and sence of ballance.

If I were to be doing this, and I am not a professional, I would use a half cup of sherry, thrown into a hot skillet, squidge of lemon in quick, off the heat and use a pat or two of butter whisked in right quick. I know there is a whole french way of saying that lol. It is a classic methode of buttersauce.

For the batter, if you want to go the batter route, I would sugest using a thine tempura type batter. I think I would simply give them a light flour dusting myself, but then, that would be my own twist.

I would use the onion garnish, and maybe the cheese. I like artichokes, but I am at a loss for how chokes and cheese go together.

The important things to know here are:

1. that sherrys and ports do not take cooking for more than 10 or 15 minutes. Hence the reason why they are added as a last ingredient before serving. Mostly because the delicacy of their flavours can become lost.

2. that artichoces can and will discolour badly. As soon as you dice them up, they need to be dunked in acidulated water. 4 cups water and the juice of a large lemon or two is what is usually recomended.

Oh, and in searching for information on this dish, it would appear that outside of Rochester NY, it is pretty much unheard of.