Kosher Kooking                                                                         page 59

JEWISH ARTICHOKES

Typical dish of Ancient Rome's Jewish Community

 

INGREDIENTS (6 portions):
6 large and tender  artichokes
3 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 - 1/4 lemons
1 tablespoon salt
1 3/4 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper corns

Instructions:
     Remove outermost leaves of the artichoke, and shorten their stem to no more than 1 1/2 inches.  With a well sharpened knife remove their outer part.  Scratch the stems.  As soon as each is ready, place it into a bowl filled with cold water.  Add juice of crushed lemons: this will prevent the artichoke from turning black.  When ready, drain well and dry them.  Holding them by their stem crush their top part against table, so that leaves will open well all around.  On each artichoke, sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper.

    In a deep frying pan pour enough to reach half the height of the artichokes.  As soon as the oil is hot (butt not too hot, otherwise inner leaves would not cook well), put the artichokes into the pan one by one stem upwards, not too many at a time.  Stir from time to time, arid try to keep the oil at a constant temperature.
     After 10 minutes, turn the artichokes upside down, raising the heat to high, and then let them cook for another 10 minutes.

  
Pull them out of the oil, drain them well on paper tissues, and serve them immediately.
Serves 6 - 8

Contributed by Sarah Parkinson of Boston, MA


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