Artichokes!

It's about time I write about Artichokes....I make them about once a week, so I can write about my favorite method--grilled artichokes!

 My Favorite Artichokes

 Directions:

1. Fill a large pot halfway with water. Bring the water to a boil. 

2. As the water heats, I usually trim the artichokes up a bit. This part is up to you. I usually take off the stem except for one centimeter or so. You also might like to cut the top inch off of the tops. If you really want to make them look fancy you can use scissors to trim each leaf so that it has a flat top.

3. When the water is boiling, put the artichokes in stems down (the leaves will absorb water if you place them in stems down). Put a lid on the pot.

4. Boil the artichokes for 30-45 minutes. Test if the artichokes are done by using tongs to pull a leaf off easily. If the leaf comes off and there is "meat" on it, the artichokes are done. 

5. Turn the heat off immediately and remove the artichokes. If you keep them in the pot they will continue to cook and may get mushy. 

6. Set out to cool, leaves down.

7. Once the artichokes are cool, slice them in half and scoop out the "choke." I usually use a regular spoon and make sure to remove all of the spiky leaves.

8. Now for the fun part! An easy way to prepare these delicious artichokes for the grill is by drizzling olive oil and sprinkling them with salt and pepper. 

From there, have fun! You might add balsamic vinegar, sliced garlic, or other spices. 

9. When the grill is ready, you'll want to grill the artichokes leaves-side down for 10 minutes. Then flip them and grill for another 5 minutes.

10. My favorite finishing touch: squeeze fresh lemon juice over the artichokes and grate parmesan cheese over them. Yum! Or, serve with melted butter or garlic mayo.

I don't care for mayo, but I found one that seems to be a hit with grilled artichokes: Garlic Herb Lemonaise from The Ojai Cook.

However you like your artichokes--enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

So the story goes that I was shopping in the produce section and saw fresh rhubarb. I did not buy it, but was inspired to find a great recipe for strawberry rhubarb pie. I searched through dozens of recipes, took the parts that I liked the best, and went back for the rhubarb. It was gone! So this delicious pie was made with frozen rhubarb and strawberries. It was delicious, so I'm not too worried about the frozen thing. So thanks to many websites including epicurious for the inspiring recipes!

Ingredients:

Pie Crust:

(Makes two crusts, either just a bottom crust or one for a top and bottom).

2 1/2 cups flour

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and refrigerated again (nice and cold!)

1 cup cold water with ice cubes

1 egg yolk mixed with water

Filling:

3-3 1/2 cups trimmed rhubarb pieces (I made sure they were bite-sized, since I used frozen I made sure to defrost and drain the pieces).

3 1/2 cups strawberries, cut into quarters. I used frozen strawberries, so a 16 oz bag, defrosted and drained, was perfect.

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Dough (Prepare at least 1 hour if not 2 ahead of time)

1. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. 

2. Sprinkle the pieces of butter over the flour--avoid touching the butter! The key to flaky pie crust is keeping the butter cold.

3. Using a pastry blender, incorporate the butter. Mix the flour into the butter until the butter is in small clumps, about the size of peas (it's okay if the pieces are not all identical in size).

4. Use a rubber spatula to mix the dough as you add water. Add about 1/2 cup, and scrape the sides of the bowl to mix it through. Continue to add water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough starts to form larger clumps. 

5. At this point, use your hands to gather all of the dough into a ball. You want to knead it gently together. 

6. Separate the dough into two clumps, and use plastic wrap to cover each piece and create a disk. 

7. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

When you get your filling ready, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Filling

1. Mix all of the filling ingredients together in a large bowl. As you roll out the dough the filling will sit and juices may drain off. You will want to leave these out of the pie.

Assembly

1. Roll out the first dough disk on a well-floured surface. Have a 9 inch pie dish ready to go. You will want to try to roll the dough into a 13 inch circle. As you roll the dough, flip it over and keep flour on the surface so it does not stick. If your dough sticks or falls apart, chill it longer.

2. Carefully place the pie crust into the dish. Press down gently on the bottom and edges so that the pie crust touches them. This will help cook the crust.

3. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the filling and put it into the crust. The slotted spoon will allow for some of the juices to run off and stay in the bowl.

4. Roll out the second disk into the same 13 inch circle. Using a pastry wheel or knife, cut the crust into 1/2 inch-3/4 inch strips. 

5. One strip at a time, lay each piece of crust over the filling in a criss-cross pattern. If this is your first lattice topped pie, you may want to put all of the pieces that go one way down first, then put the others on top. Otherwise, you can weave the pieces together, starting with middle pieces and working your way out. 

6. Trim the pieces leaving about a 1 inch border around the pie crust. Fold the crust under and decorate it. I pinch it between my fingers to create a wavy pattern. You might press it with a fork or just allow it to take the natural shape of the pie pan.

7. Brush the pie crust with the egg yolk and water mixture.

8. Place the pie on a baking sheet (in case it bubbles, and to help you lift it) and put on the lowest rack in the oven. This will help the bottom of the crust bake.

9. Bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Then turn the heat down to 350 and bake for another 25 minutes. Keep an eye on the pie. If the crust starts to brown too quickly then use foil to tent the edges.

10. At the end of those 50 minutes, see if the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden. My oven was being tricky so I had to bake the pie for a longer amount of time. 

11. Take the pie  out and let it cool. Serve on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!