INGREDIENTS
1 Artichoke
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 small Onion, chopped fine
2 stalks Celery, chopped fine
1/4 Red Bell Pepper, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
¼ cup White Wine
1 cup Corn (fresh off the cob is best, but frozen or canned is fine)
1/2 lb. raw Shrimp, chopped fine
1 Tbsp fresh Parsley, chopped fine
1/3 cup Bread Crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup Cheddar or Jack Cheese, shredded
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Crushed Red Pepper, optional

METHOD
Cut the artichoke straight across the top about 1 inch from the highest point.  Trim other pointy artichoke leave tips with scissors and cut bottom stem so the artichoke will sit level.  Place artichoke in a large pot covered with water (I like to add some lemon in mine to keep the artichoke color bright). Boil for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the artichoke is tender.  Remove from pot and turn upside down so water drains out.  Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, you can prepare the stuffing.

In a large sauté pan place the butter and olive oil.  Over medium heat add the onion, celery and red bell pepper. Cook until translucent, 4 minutes or so.   Add in the garlic, white wine, corn and shrimp.  Continue to cook for another few minutes, or until shrimp is pink.  Turn heat off and add fresh parsley, bread crumbs, and cheeses.  Stir lightly to incorporate cheese.  Add in salt and pepper to taste.  Add crushed red pepper, if desired.  Sometimes I will add a little Italian Seasoning, or a dash of Thyme. It’s up to you.

Now the stuffing is complete let’s get back to that artichoke…

Now that the artichoke is cool, you can remove the choke.  Place your artichoke in a large oven safe bowl or baking dish.  Place the stuffing in between the leaves and all around the layers, so that when you are eating it you will be able to scoop up the stuffing with the leaves.  Continue to do this until all the leaves/layers are full.  Place the remainder of the stuffing in the center of the artichoke.  Put a little Parmesan cheese on top and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.  Serve right away.

If you dare ~ this is really delicious served with a hollandaise dipping sauce.

Serves 6

Some people are intimidated by artichokes… well, maybe not the ones in the can, but I’m talking about a whole fresh raw artichoke. Those pointy leaves can really hurt! In my opinion, they are worth the effort. If you don’t feel like dealing with the fresh artichoke, you can easily use canned in this recipe and it will still turn out wonderful!

INGREDIENTS
5 large artichokes hearts (quartered)
4 Tablespoons butter
1 medium size leek, white-and-light green part, sliced and rinsed
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup chopped shallots
5 oz of Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
8 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
1 teaspoon thyme
2 sprigs of parsley
1/2 cup of cream (you can substitute half & half, or low fat milk)
Salt and pepper to tasteSour cream, for garnish
Chopped chives, for garnish

METHOD
Cook the artichokes (see instructions below).

With a small spoon, remove the thistle choke part and discard. Remove the leaves from the artichoke heart and reserve for eating later, if desired. Cut or peel away the tough outside skin of the stems and discard.

In a large pot, melt half the butter and cook the leek, garlic, and shallots on medium heat until tender but not brown.

Add the artichoke hearts, potatoes, stock, and herbs. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and continue to simmer uncovered until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Purée the soup using either a handheld immersion blender or in a blender in batches. You can leave the soup a little chunky if you like it that way.

Return soup to pot. Stir in the remaining butter and the cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls. If desired, serve with a dollop of sour cream on top and a sprinkling of chives.

Cooking the Artichokes:

Wash artichokes under cold running water.

Pull off lower petals which are small or discolored.

Remove the sharp outer top leaves by cutting about a quarter of the artichoke from the top — a serrated knife works well. I like the look of clipped petals, so I cut about ¼ inch off the petals, removing the pointy thorn.

Trim the base so that your artichoke can stand up straight. Trimmed artichoke stems are edible. Cut the brown end about ½ inch. Peel fibrous outer layer to reach tender green of stem. The stem may be steamed whole with the artichoke, cut into rounds or julienne for salads or pastas.

Plunge into acidified water to preserve color. (One tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice per quart of water.)

Place artichoke in steamer, tips up. Fill pan with about two inches of salted water (you can also add a little lemon juice to the water if you like). Check the water levels often, as it’s easy to forget about and let boil dry.

Cover pot and steam artichokes for about 30 to 40 minutes (depending on size), or until bottoms of the artichoke are tender. Cut into base of each artichoke to check that it is soft, and make sure inside leaves can be pulled out easily.

Drain artichokes upside down on paper towel.

Serve with melted butter (I like to add a little lemon juice and garlic to mine), a mayonnaise style dressing or even a hollandaise sauce.

INGREDIENTS
2 bags of spinach (2 lbs total)
1/2 stick of butter
2 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons onions, minced
1/4 cup flour
1 pint of heavy cream
2 teaspoon lemon juice, fresh is best
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (more if you like it HOT)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, fresh
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 can/jar artichoke hearts, chopped

METHOD
Steam the spinach. Strain and squeeze out all the water. Chop fine and set aside.

In a saucepan melt the butter. Add garlic and onions and saute for about 3 minutes, until tender. Add the flour to the mixture, creating a roux, and stir. Slowly add the cream, stirring with a whisk to prevent lumps. On medium heat, stir until it comes to a boil. Once thickened add in the lemon juice, Tabasco, salt and Parmesan cheese.

Turn off heat. Add the sour cream, chopped spinach, artichoke hearts and jack cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.

Serve immediately with tortilla chips or pita bread for dipping.