**Roman-Style Fried Baby Artichokes: A Delightful Journey into Italian Cuisine**
In the heart of Italy, where culinary traditions run deep, lies a dish that captures the essence of Roman cuisine: Roman-style fried baby artichokes. These delicate morsels, also known as Carciofi alla Giudia, are a testament to the region's passion for simple yet flavorful cooking. With a crispy outer shell and a tender, succulent interior, these artichokes offer a sensory experience that will tantalize your taste buds. This article presents a collection of recipes that guide you through the process of creating this iconic dish, ensuring a culinary adventure that transports you to the vibrant streets of Rome. From selecting the freshest baby artichokes to mastering the art of frying, these recipes provide step-by-step instructions, helpful tips, and variations to suit diverse preferences. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a home cook seeking to explore new culinary horizons, this comprehensive guide will equip you with the knowledge and techniques to create this delectable dish that embodies the spirit of Roman cuisine.
ROMAN-JEWISH STYLE FRIED ARTICHOKES
Carciofi alla Giudia (Jewish-style artichokes) is a classic and delicious dish originating from the Roman-Jewish community in Italy. To make a batch at home, fry up baby artichokes until crisp for a flavorful treat.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Appetizers
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Pare artichoke bases flat, and remove tough outer leaves, leaving pale-green edible ones. Trim tops off. Rub cut surfaces with lemon half. Work quickly; do not soak in water.
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil and garlic in saute pan over medium-high heat. Brown artichokes cooking on all sides 2 to 3 minutes. If garlic gets too brown, discard. Stand artichokes on bottoms; cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until tender.
- Leave pan with oil on stove; transfer artichokes to paper towel to drain upside down until slightly cool. Spread leaves like a flower (scrape out fuzzy choke with melon baller).
- Season artichokes with salt and pepper; add 3 tablespoons oil to pan; when hot, add enough artichokes to fit comfortably without overlapping, bases facing up. Cook over medium-high heat, pressing leaves down, until brown and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Keep warm while cooking second batch. Blot well.
- Salt lightly, and serve hot with shaved Parmesan and lemon wedges.
ROMAN-JEWISH FRIED ARTICHOKES (CARCIOFI ALLA GIUDIA) RECIPE
Deep-fried artichokes may be one of the best examples of the Roman-Jewish mastery of deep frying techniques. Shatteringly crisp outside, tender within, and as pop-able as potato chips, this is the way we all should usher in spring.
Provided by Daniel Gritzer
Categories Appetizers and Hors d'Oeuvres Sides Snacks
Time 45m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Fill a large bowl with water; halve and squeeze 2 lemons into it. Trim artichokes following Roman-Jewish artichoke guidelines shown here : Remove tough dark green outer leaves to expose more tender light-green leaves within, then, using a paring knife, cut off top half of each leaf and trim base and stem. Trimmed artichokes will look like a closed rosebud. Transfer the peeled artichokes to the bowl of lemon water as you work, covering them with a clean kitchen towel to keep them completely submerged.
- In a large saucepan, heat 2 to 3 inches of oil to 280°F (130°C). Add artichokes (they should produce a steady but non-violent stream of bubbles) and cook until tender (you should be able to pierce their hearts easily with a fork), adjusting heat to maintain a steady bubble, about 10 minutes for baby artichokes and 15 minutes for larger ones. Turn larger artichokes frequently for even cooking.
- Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer artichokes to a paper towel-lined plate. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Using your hands, gently pull open each artichoke "bud" so that it resembles an open flower. If using large artichokes, remove and discard the hair "choke" in the center of the artichoke. Increase oil temperature to 350°F (177°C).
- Fry artichokes until browned and crisp, 2 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or spider, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season immediately with salt. Transfer to plates and serve right away with wedges of remaining lemon.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 206 kcal, Carbohydrate 11 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Fiber 5 g, Protein 2 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Sodium 255 mg, Sugar 1 g, Fat 18 g, ServingSize Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer, UnsaturatedFat 0 g
DEEP FRIED BABY ARTICHOKES
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories appetizer
Time 35m
Yield 6 appetizer servings
Number Of Ingredients 4
Steps:
- Fill a large bowl halfway with water. Squeeze the lemon halves into the water and add the lemons. Trim the stem of 1 artichoke. Starting at the base, bend the tough outer leaves back and pull off where they break naturally. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the dark green skin from the base. Halve the artichoke lengthwise and scoop out any choke. Add to the lemon water. Repeat with the remaining artichokes.
- Heat the oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat until a thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Drain the artichokes and pat dry. Working in 2 batches, add the artichokes to the hot oil and cook until they are tender and golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the fried artichokes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Sprinkle with salt while artichokes are still warm and serve.
FRIED BABY ARTICHOKES
Steps:
- Remove and discard the artichoke stems. Peel off lower leaves (approximately 18.) Slice off the top half so that only the light green remains (artichokes should be approximately 1 1/4 inches), then cut the artichoke in half lengthwise.
- Place the artichokes in a medium pot, flat side down, and add olive oil to just cover. Add the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring the olive oil to a boil, cover the pot and reduce the heat to a low flame and simmer for 15 minutes. Insert a knife into the lower half and if easily penetrated, it's done.
- Remove the thyme and garlic from the pot, raise the heat and fry uncovered for approximately 2 minutes, turning over the artichokes midway. They are done when brown and crispy. Remove the artichokes from the pot and place them on paper towels flat side down. Sprinkle with salt and serve.
ROMAN-STYLE ARTICHOKES
Artichokes are bathed in olive oil, white wine, red-pepper-flakes, garlic, and fresh herbs and braised until tender in this classic Roman dish.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Dinner Recipes Dinner Side Dishes
Time 1h15m
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Halve lemon and squeeze juice into a large bowl of cold water; add squeezed lemon halves to bowl. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, peel tough outer leaves and trim 1 inch from top. Trim fibrous green skin from heart and stem. Halve each artichoke lengthwise, scrape fuzzy choke from heart with a spoon, and transfer to lemon water.
- Drain artichokes and place, cut side up, in a wide, shallow ovenproof pot. Pour wine, oil, and water over artichokes and sprinkle with salt, red-pepper flakes, garlic, and herbs. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, transfer to oven, and braise until artichokes are tender, about 45 minutes. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with red-pepper flakes, and serve with pan juices.
FRIED ARTICHOKES
These deserve to be served as a separate course, eaten with your fingers. The basic method is the same for French fries - the first frying cooks and the second, hotter frying crisps. Roman cimaroli or mammole artichokes do not have the sharp thorns of our American globe variety and are picked before their chokes have fully developed, so I have made some adjustments to the original recipe to remove the choke here. Don't let it intimidate you; the first frying and a grapefruit spoon or melon baller makes it relatively easy to manage.
Provided by Joan Nathan
Categories appetizer, side dish
Time 1h
Yield 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 5
Steps:
- Mix salt and pepper in a small bowl. Fill a large bowl with water and add juice and rinds of lemons. Set both bowls aside.
- Using a sharp paring or bird's beak knife, shave off the tough outer leaves of artichokes until you reach the tender pale green or yellow leaves and create a bulbous shape. Cut off at least an inch of the thorny top. Trim the stem near the heart, peeling off the outer green fiber and leaving about 2 inches of stem if possible. Immediately put the artichokes in the lemon water to prevent browning.
- Fill an electric fryer or deep cast-iron enameled pot with enough oil to almost cover artichokes. Heat to 325 degrees. While oil is heating, dry artichokes well with paper towels. Tap the flat top of the cut artichoke against the table to loosen the leaves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, rubbing in the seasoning.
- Fry artichokes in batches. Cook, turning occasionally with tongs, for about 15 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the stem at its thickest point. The outside should be bronzed.
- Remove artichokes from oil and drain well, stem side up, on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Gently open leaves to remove choke (using a grapefruit spoon or melon baller) and encourage the leaves to spread. You can now freeze them or leave them out, stem side up, for a few hours until ready to finish.
- When ready to serve, reheat the oil to 350. Working in batches again, return artichokes, stem side up, to hot oil just to crisp. Drain well and serve immediately with a sprinkle of salt. Eat with your fingers.
Tips:
- Select small artichokes for frying: Smaller artichokes are more tender and easier to cook evenly. Look for artichokes that are about 2-3 inches in diameter.
- Trim the artichokes properly: To trim the artichokes, remove the outer leaves until you reach the pale green leaves. Then, cut off the top third of the artichoke, including the thorns. Finally, use a spoon to scoop out the fuzzy choke from the center of the artichoke.
- Soak the artichokes in acidulated water: Soaking the artichokes in acidulated water (water with lemon juice or vinegar added) helps to prevent them from browning. It also helps to remove any bitterness from the artichokes.
- Use a light batter for frying: A light batter will help the artichokes to cook evenly without becoming greasy. You can use a simple batter made with flour, water, and eggs, or you can try a more flavorful batter made with beer or sparkling water.
- Fry the artichokes in hot oil: The oil should be hot enough to sizzle when you add the artichokes. This will help to create a crispy outer coating on the artichokes.
- Drain the artichokes on paper towels: After frying, drain the artichokes on paper towels to remove any excess oil.
Conclusion:
Roman-style fried baby artichokes are a delicious and easy-to-make appetizer or side dish. By following these tips, you can make sure that your artichokes are cooked perfectly and that they have a crispy outer coating and a tender, flavorful interior. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!
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