Artichoke Bottoms Stuffed With Spinach And Walnut Puree Recipes

Steps:

• Cut a thin slice from bottoms of artichokes to level if necessary. Place in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan., In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, garlic, chives and oregano. Spoon into artichokes; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 22-26 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

Steps:

• Prepare artichokes or buy canned bottoms. To prepare remove stem and then break the leaves of the base. Artichoke should have a conical shape when done. Cut off the core of the artichoke above the base. Base should be trimmed with vegetable peeler until all of the fibrous material is removed. Place the core and bottom in lemon water. The choke will be removed after cooking.
• Arrange artichoke pieces in one layer in saucepan with little oil, water, lemon juice and a dash of salt. Cook for 20-25 minutes covered. Once tender remove bottoms with spoon and pour cooking liquid over the bottoms.
• Spinach Sauté:.
• Cook in skillet with dash of salt 3-4 minutes until wilted. Drain. Using a spoon, press spinach to extract water. Chop the spinach and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat butter in skillet until dark brown then add spinach. Sauté just until heated. Reheat the artichoke bottoms in their liquid and drain. Arrange them in a gratin dish and spoon spinach into each one. Press the Swiss cheese on top of spinach.
• Gratin Sauce:.
• Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and add flour. Mix with whisk and cook on medium heat for 10 seconds. Add the milk all at once and mix with whisk. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Stir until sauce boils. Reduce heat and boil for 30 seconds. Add cream and remove from heat.
• Preheat the broiler. Coat the artichokes with sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Heat under broiler for 3-4 minutes or until browned.

Steps:

• Snap off most tough outer leaves from artichokes. Trim 1 1/2 inches from top. In pot of water, place artichokes, 1 1/2 lemons, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Cover with smaller-size lid to keep artichokes submerged. Cook over medium heat until hearts are tender when pierced with knife, about 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. When artichokes are tender, drain, remove remaining leaves, and discard all but the smallest, most tender ones. Set those aside. Remove choke completely with melon baller or spoon, and rub artichoke bottoms with remaining lemon half. In a glass pie pan or gratin dish, strew leaves and mix in half of bechamel. Lightly butter artichoke bottoms, season with salt and pepper, and place on top of bechamel. Place folded piece of prosciutto in each bottom; fill with a rounded mound of bechamel.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Rub the tops with butter, and bake for 5 minutes more. Serve one or two bottoms per person along with some of the leaves.