Awesome Artichokes

Artichoke Appetizer Artichoke Rice Bake Hot Artichoke Dip - A favourite at parties, & easy too! Artichoke Pilaf Shrimp stuffed artichokes Triple Cheese Artichoke Dip
Artichoke Food Facts

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Artichoke Rice Bake


Ingredients

2 Tbs. butter
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup long grain rice
2 medium tomoatoes, chopped
2 (7oz.) cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup fresh parmesan, grated


Instructions:
  1. In a large skillet melt butter and saute onions, mushrooms, garlic salt & amp; pepper about 2 minutes.
  2. Add chicken borth & rice, bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer covered for 25 minutes.
  3. Combine potato pulp, sour cream, and milk. Mix well.
  4. Stir in tomatoes and artichoke hearts.
  5. Transfer rice mixture to a greased casserole, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for 5-8 minutes until parmesan is melted.


Serving Suggestions & Notes:
You can add cooked shrimp, chicken or italina sausage just before putting into the oven. You may want to add an additional 1/4 cup of chicken broth and cook about 15 to 20 minutes to heat meat through.

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Artichoke Food Facts

There two very distinct and different varieties of artichokes, globe and jerusalem.
Globe artichokes are perrenial plants which grow between 3-5 feet tall, and 3-5 feet wide.
It is the immature flower bud, or head of the artichoke plant that is used for cooking.
When ripe for eating, the artichoke will be an olive green color. It should be firm and have smooth scales.

Storage:
Whole fresh artichokes can be kept for about a week inthe crisper of your refrigerator.

Uses:
The artichoke is normally cooked whole, and then the leaves are dipped in melted butter.
Many other dips are also wonderful accompaniments, and are well worth trying.
The succulent heart of the artichoke is considered a delicacy, and can be used in saldas, omelettes, stir fries and many other other ways.

Tips:
The outer leaves of the artichoke have very sharp prickly points on the ends. To prevent pricking yourself you can snip off each point with scissors before cooking.
To prevent the artichoke from discolouring when cooking, avoid using aluminum or iron pots.
The choke of an artichoke can be remove when it is either raw or cooked, but is generally easier to do when it is cooked.

Preparation:
Soak whole artichokes in a pot of cold water with 1 Tbsp of vinegar added for each quart of water you are using. Drain water after you are finished soaking.

Removing the Choke:
To remove the choke, spread apart the the leaves of the artichoke. If it is cooked you can simply pull out the fine prickly leaves with your fingers, and then scoop out the choke with a spoon.
If the artichoke is still raw, you can use a grapefruit knife to remove the inner leaves and choke.
It is not always neccessary to remove the choke prior to serving, it will depend on the recipe and method you have selected. Each recipe involving artichokes will specify the best method of preparation.

Basic Cooking:
In a large pot, add 1 quart of broth or water for each artichoke you are cooking. Squeeze in lemon juice, add artichokes and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes until the leaves are tender.

For other cooking methods see specific recipes in this section.




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