Stuffed Baby Artichokes with Lemon Vinaigrette

I made these for my parents when I visited the fishing camp way down in South Louisiana, near the Gulf of Mexico.  It is one of my favorite places in the world.  A place where you leave the real world behind as you sit out on the deck and watch the shrimp boats heading down the canal into the Gulf to troll for their catch all night.  And my parents are just the best - it doesn't matter what I dream up to cook, they always seem to be up for it! 

Before our "fishing" weekends, we stop and load up on groceries along the way.  I found these adorable baby artichokes! And my oh my... these were delicious! 

They are not immature versions of the larger ones, but actually fully grown in their own right.  Ask your grocer as they are not the "normal" globe artichokes.  They are mostly edible except for the outer leaves, and barely have a "choke" (the fuzzy stuff you scrape out) at all.  - and they are so cute and delicious!

Aren't they adorable?  They fit perfectly into the palm of your hand.  Figure one per person for dinner.  Go ahead and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

 Trim off about an inch of the stem and the outer third or so of the leaves... the prickly parts.

Cut off the top - about an inch and a half.  Make sure you have some aciduated water ready.  As soon as you cut them, you will want to put them in the bath so they don't oxidize and turn brown.  These will brown faster than an apple or banana, so let them bathe!  I used some limes in the water bath since I was limited in the amount of lemons I had.

 Taking a bath...

This one is a bit out of order, but I started grating the Parmigiano reggiano for my topping while trying to decide which kind of pan I was going to use.

Okay, so back on track here... Cut the little guys in half and immediately rub the cut edges with a lemon to prevent browning.

Scoop out the choke (any fuzzies in there).. and make more room for the topping!  Yum.  Actually, after this photo, we figured out that a small (1/8 tsp) measuring spoon was exactly the right size to scoop out a nice round spot.  It worked much like a little melon baller would.

 See how nice and round the hollowed out area is? 

Now back to the topping...  freshly grated Parmigiano reggiano (the King of cheeses, you know), fresh bread crumbs (we just threw some french bread into the blender.. they were perfect), salt, pepper, a clove of finely chopped garlic, and a few sprigs of thyme, stripped from the stems.  Moisten the mixture with a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a few tablespoons of milk or cream.  You just want it to stick together and be kind of crumbly.

Stuff the topping between the leaves and into that cavity that you created.  Then add more on top.  Yum.

I decided on a black iron skillet to get the job done.

Drizzle a little more extra virgin olive oil on top.  Add a little water to the bottom of the pan to help steam them and throw them into the oven.

 Start working on the lemon vinaigrette:  It's very easy. 

• lemon zest
• 4 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• fresh parsley
• ** tip... heat the lemon about 20 seconds in the microwave before cutting it.  This will give you a lot more juice.

 Bake the artichokes uncovered for 15 min at 350 degrees F; then 15 min for 365 degrees F. 

Drizzle the lemon vinaigrette over the artichokes if desired.  If you dining with someone who doesn't appreciate the lemon as much, you can just serve it on the side.

 And this was the final product.  We LOVED them.

While this may look like an ordinary meal here, I just want to mention some things.  First, the artichokes were amazing!  Second, we picked those gorgeous home grown creole tomatoes up from a little produce stand on the side of the road.  So juicy and perfect.  (Thank God I live in the South!!) The French bread was made fresh and was still hot when we bought it.... And finally, the trout almondine on the left is freshly caught speckled trout from right there at the fishing camp.  You just don't get any fresher or better than this!!  When we shop so frequently at a grocery store, I think its easy to forget sometimes the wonderful bounty of the land around us!

Written Method:

Go ahead and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

 Trim off about an inch of the stem and the outer third or so of the leaves... the prickly parts.

Cut off the top - about an inch and a half.  Make sure you have some aciduated water ready.  As soon as you cut them, you will want to put them in the bath so they don't oxidize and turn brown.  These will brown faster than an apple or banana, so let them bathe!  I used some limes in the water bath since I was limited in the amount of lemons I had.

This one is a bit out of order, but I started grating the Parmigiano reggiano for my topping while trying to decide which kind of pan I was going to use.

Okay, so back on track here... Cut the little guys in half and immediately rub the cut edges with a lemon to prevent browning.

Scoop out the choke (any fuzzies in there).. and make more room for the topping!  Yum.  Actually, after this photo, we figured out that a small (1/8 tsp) measuring spoon was exactly the right size to scoop out a nice round spot.  It worked much like a little melon baller would.

Now back to the topping...  freshly grated Parmigiano reggiano (the King of cheeses, you know), fresh bread crumbs (we just threw some french bread into the blender.. they were perfect), salt, pepper, a clove of finely chopped garlic, and a few sprigs of thyme, stripped from the stems.  Moisten the mixture with a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a few tablespoons of milk or cream.  You just want it to stick together and be kind of crumbly.

Stuff the topping between the leaves and into that cavity that you created.  Then add more on top.  Yum.

 I decided on a black iron skillet to get the job done.

Drizzle a little more extra virgin olive oil on top.  Add a little water to the bottom of the pan to help steam them and throw them into the oven.

 Start working on the lemon vinaigrette:  It's very easy. 

• lemon zest
• 4 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• fresh parsley
• ** tip... heat the lemon about 20 seconds in the microwave before cutting it.  This will give you a lot more juice.

 Bake the artichokes uncovered for 15 min at 350

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Trout Almondine

This is my Mom's recipe.  There are distinct advantages to having a fishing camp down in Cocodrie, South Louisiana... where this Speckled Trout was caught fresh just this morning.  You can't get it any fresher than that, folks. Yumm!

The first step is to season the trout filets - salt, pepper, fresh thyme... however you want it to be.

Set up a batter relay station... seasoned milk..

Seasoned flour...

The oil (Canola) MUST be very hot.  You want the filets to sizzle immediately.  If the oil is not hot enough, the fish will soak up the warm oil and be oily and soggy.  The hot oil seals the crust and gives you a clean fish with a crunchy coating!

Turn the filets when the edges start browning.  It may take turning them a few times, every few minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.

Meanwhile, into hot, foamy butter, toast the sliced almonds until they are golden brown and toasty.  Toasting brings out the oils and nutty flavor much more than when they are raw.

Okay, this is a side note... but while shopping for the weekend, I found the most beautiful heirloom tomatoes ever seen.  They were SOooo delicious!

Mmmm...can you taste them?!

For the toasted french bread... I topped the bread with butter (real butter please!), freshly grated parmesano reggiano (not out of that green box please), and a little salt and pepper... and threw them under the broiler.  When they are toasty (WATCH them!)... add a slice of that gorgeous tomato on top. Ca C'est Bon Cher!!!

And here is the beautiful trout almondine, with the buttery toasted almonds...

... It was divine!  That's the way we "rough" it when we are down at the fishing camp! 

Written Method:

The first step is to season the trout filets - salt, pepper, fresh thyme... however you want it to be.

Set up a batter relay station... seasoned milk..

Seasoned flour...

The oil (Canola) MUST be very hot.  You want the filets to sizzle immediately.  If the oil is not hot enough, the fish will soak up the warm oil and be oily and soggy.  The hot oil seals the crust and gives you a clean fish with a crunchy coating!

Turn the filets when the edges start browning.  It may take turning them a few times, every few minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.

Meanwhile, into hot, foamy butter, toast the sliced almonds until they are golden brown and toasty.  Toasting brings out the oils and nutty flavor much more than when they are raw.

Okay, this is a side note... but while shopping for the weekend, I found the most beautiful heirloom tomatoes ever seen.  They were SOooo delicious!

Mmmm...can you taste them?!

For the toasted french bread... I topped the bread with butter (real butter please!), freshly grated parmesano reggiano (not out of that green box please), and a little salt and pepper... and threw them under the broiler.  When they are toasty (WATCH them!)... add a slice of that gorgeous tomato on top. Ca C'est Bon Cher!!!


 Please visit my Recipe Index for more soups and lots of different ideas to cook with/for your family!   Here are a few different things:

•  Stuffed Peppers 

 

• Ham Cups

 

• Cheater Cheater Chicken Dumplings  

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Italian Sausage, Spinach, and Ricotta Stuffed Cannelloni

Stuffed Cannelloni

Okay so this one was just for me tonight.  It's an adaptation of a recipe that Kelsey Nixon did one day on the Cooking Channel.  It was just lovely.. the perfect thing on a dark, rainy evening with a nice glass of red.



 Filling:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 (10-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach
• 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups plus 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 large eggs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• just a smidge of grated nutmeg (sorry Mom)

Directions for Filling:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the onion until fragrant and translucent.

1 Tbsp EVOO + 1 medium onion, diced small

Add the Italian sausage meat, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon and brown it until no longer pink, about 10 to 12 minutes.

8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

Add the fresh spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted down and tender. Add just a little grating of fresh nutmeg.

1 (10-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach + a little nutmeg

Drain the excess fat and liquid from the mixture in a colander lined with papertowels, and set aside to cool. After cool, transfer meat mixture to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the liquid as best you can.

In a large mixing bowl stir together the ricotta, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, eggs, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese + 1 1/2 cups Parmesan + 2 large eggs + S/P to taste

Add in the the cooled, drained meat/spinach mixture,

Fresh Pasta Dough, recipe follows:

• 1 2/3 cups flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• A pinch sea salt

For the pasta:
1. Sift the flour onto a clean work surface and make a well in the center with your fist.

1 2/3 c flour + 2 large eggs + 1 Tbsp olive oil + pinch of kosher salt

2. Break the eggs into the well and add the oil and a pinch of salt to the well.

3. Gradually mix the egg mixture into the flour using the fingers of one hand, bringing the ingredients together into a firm dough. If the dough feels too dry, add a few drops of water; if it’s too wet, add a little more flour.

4. Knead the pasta until smooth, 2 to 5 minutes. Lightly massage it with a hint of olive oil, pop the dough into a plastic food bag, and allow it to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. The pasta will be much more elastic after resting.

Pass the dough through the pasta machine:

Divide the pasta dough into 4 even sections. Keep each section covered with plastic wrap or a clean towel while you work with each one. Flour the dough, the rollers of a pasta roller (or your rolling pin), your hands, and the work surface.

1. Start to feed the blob of pasta dough through the widest setting of a pasta machine. As the sheet of dough comes out of the machine, fold it into thirds and then feed it through the rollers again, still on the widest setting. Pass the dough through this setting a total of 4 or 5 times. This effectively kneads the dough, ensuring the resulting pasta is silky smooth.

2. Pass the pasta through the machine again, starting at the widest setting and gradually reducing the settings, one pass at a time, until the pasta achieves the required thickness. The pasta sheet will become very long—if you are having trouble keeping the dough from folding onto itself or are making ravioli, cut the sheet of dough in half and feed each half through separately. Generally the second-from-last setting is best forcannelloni, ravioli and any other shapes that are to be filled.

3. After the pasta has reached the requisite thickness, you can dust the pasta with a little flour and place it on clean kitchen towels and let it rest for just a short spell.

4. Cut the sheets into 6 by-7-inch rectangles.

If rolling the pasta by hand: Flatten a dough piece into a thick oval disk with your hands. Flour a baking sheet for the rolled out finished pasta. Place the oval dough disk on a floured work surface, and sprinkle with additional flour. Begin rolling out the dough with a floured rolling pin working from the center of the dough outwards, constantly moving the dough and lifting it to make sure it's not sticking.

Additional Ingredients:
4 cups Simple Tomato Sauce (I used Classico brand - tomato basil)
Fresh basil, for garnish

Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Assembly:

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the fresh pasta rectangles for 1 minute and remove with a slotted spatula.

Set aside.

In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, spread 2 cups tomato sauce.

Working with 1 pasta rectangle at a time, spread filling along one edge and roll the pasta sheet up tightly, leaving the ends open. Repeat.

   * tonight, I used only half the pasta and half the filling.  I made 6 smaller cannelloni... which were still pretty big in my opinion.  Now I have enough goodies left for another night.  :-)  

  * You can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but allow it to return to room temperature before rolling it out. 

Arrange the prepared cannelloni, seam-side down, in a single layer in the baking dish.

Spoon the remaining 2 cups tomato sauce evenly over the cannelloni. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup grated Parmesan over top.

Bake the cannelloni for 20 minutes and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve the cannelloni with extra tomato sauce from the baking dish and garnish with fresh basil.

Enjoy!!

Written Method:
 Filling:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 (10-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach
• 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups plus 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 large eggs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• just a smidge of grated nutmeg (sorry Mom)

Directions for Filling:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the onion until fragrant and translucent.


Add the Italian sausage meat, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon and brown it until no longer pink, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Add the fresh spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted down and tender. Add just a little grating of fresh nutmeg.

Drain the excess fat and liquid from the mixture in a colander lined with papertowels, and set aside to cool. After cool, transfer meat mixture to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out the liquid as best you can

In a large mixing bowl stir together the ricotta, 1 1/2 cups Parmesan, eggs, salt, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Add in the the cooled, drained meat/spinach mixture,

Fresh Pasta Dough, recipe follows:

• 1 2/3 cups flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• A pinch sea salt

For the pasta:
1. Sift the flour onto a clean work surface and make a well in the center with your fist.

2. Break the eggs into the well and add the oil and a pinch of salt to the well.

3. Gradually mix the egg mixture into the flour using the fingers of one hand, bringing the ingredients together into a firm dough. If the dough feels too dry, add a few drops of water; if it’s too wet, add a little more flour.
4. Knead the pasta until smooth, 2 to 5 minutes. Lightly massage it with a hint of olive oil, pop the dough into a plastic food bag, and allow it to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. The pasta will be much more elastic after resting.

Pass the dough through the pasta machine:

Divide the pasta dough into 4 even sections. Keep each section covered with plastic wrap or a clean towel while you work with each one. Flour the dough, the rollers of a pasta roller (or your rolling pin), your hands, and the work surface.

1. Start to feed the blob of pasta dough through the widest setting of a pasta machine. As the sheet of dough comes out of the machine, fold it into thirds and then feed it through the rollers again, still on the widest setting. Pass the dough through this setting a total of 4 or 5 times. This effectively kneads the dough, ensuring the resulting pasta is silky smooth.

2. Pass the pasta through the machine again, starting at the widest setting and gradually reducing the settings, one pass at a time, until the pasta achieves the required thickness. The pasta sheet will become very long—if you are having trouble keeping the dough from folding onto itself or are making ravioli, cut the sheet of dough in half and feed each half through separately. Generally the second-from-last setting is best forcannelloni, ravioli and any other shapes that are to be filled.

3. After the pasta has reached the requisite thickness, you can dust the pasta with a little flour and place it on clean kitchen towels and let it rest for just a short spell.

4. Cut the sheets into 6 by-7-inch rectangles.

If rolling the pasta by hand: Flatten a dough piece into a thick oval disk with your hands. Flour a baking sheet for the rolled out finished pasta. Place the oval dough disk on a floured work surface, and sprinkle with additional flour. Begin rolling out the dough with a floured rolling pin working from the center of the dough outwards, constantly moving the dough and lifting it to make sure it's not sticking.

Additional Ingredients:
4 cups Simple Tomato Sauce (I used Classico brand - tomato basil)
Fresh basil, for garnish

Place the oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Assembly:

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the fresh pasta rectangles for 1 minute and remove with a slotted spatula.

Set aside.

In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, spread 2 cups tomato sauce.

Working with 1 pasta rectangle at a time, spread filling along one edge and roll the pasta sheet up tightly, leaving the ends open. Repeat.

   * tonight, I used only half the pasta and half the filling.  I made 6 smaller cannelloni... which were still pretty big in my opinion.  Now I have enough goodies left for another night.  :-)  

  * You can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but allow it to return to room temperature before rolling it out. 

Arrange the prepared cannelloni, seam-side down, in a single layer in the baking dish.

Spoon the remaining 2 cups tomato sauce evenly over the cannelloni. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup grated Parmesan over top.

Bake the cannelloni for 20 minutes and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve the cannelloni with extra tomato sauce from the baking dish and garnish with fresh basil.

Please visit my Recipe Index for more soups and lots of different ideas to cook with/for your family!   Here are a few different things:

• Hot Parmesan Artichoke Dip 

• Prosciutto and Spinach Pinwheels

 

• Seared Petite Lamb Chops with Rosemary 

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