Artichokes

Artichokes boiled simply can also be served with hollandaise sauce (see above recipe) for dipping. 4 large globe artichokes Salt, to taste Juice of 1 lemon ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted 1. Cut off the artichoke stems at the base and remove any discolored leaves. Trim just less than an inch off of the top of each artichoke. 2. Bring a stockpot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the artichokes and let the water return to a boil. Cook, uncovered, for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the vegetables can be easily pierced with a knife.

MAY 19-20 CASTROVILLE, Calif. Castroville Artichoke Festival: The most intriguing event in the lineup for this festival is the parade. Will people dress up like artichokes? Will there be artichoke-themed floats? Probably. After all, Castroville calls itself the "artichoke center of the world. " The city also displays a massive fake artichoke that is 20 feet tall and casts quite a shadow. The festival also features artichoke tastings, and art activities using the vegetable.

Serves 4 as an appetizer Baby artichokes grace us for a short time each year. So when shoppers see them in the markets now, why aren't they fighting for these prickly, green-leafed rounds? Because they're intimidating and time consuming. Like shell beans and Brussels sprouts, artichokes require a bit of prep work. You have to cut off the tops (this isn't especially demanding), then pull away the thistle leaves (a chore). But once you get going, the task is quite simple and can even be therapeutic.

Even artichoke lovers find the prickly thistles a nuisance to pull off one leaf at a time. Many want to skip the outer leaves and get right to the heart. This makes Seggiano's roast artichoke hearts ($18.99 for a 13.4-ounce jar), submerged in premium olive oil (the company's main product), vinegar, and herbs, most inviting. Velvety yet firm, they taste of the grill, but they're roasted over volcanic rock. Serve them with crusty bread or in an antipasto with cheese and meat. Your job is to open the jar. Available at Roche Bros.

Italian cooking authority Marcella Hazan breaks the leaves off artichokes, removes the chokes, and stuffs a garlicky mixture of lemon and herbs inside. The vegetables are braised in olive oil and water. 4 large globe artichokes Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon ½ bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped ½ bunch mint, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped Salt and pepper, to taste 2/3 cup olive oil 1. Holding an artichoke on the counter, remove the outer layers of leaves by bending and snapping them back.

Some Thanksgiving side dishes come and go, but not the mashed potatoes. It just isn’t a holiday without them (my friend Catrine can attest to the mayhem that ensued the year she substituted a potato gratin). Whether they’re fluffy or creamy, rich or light, or chunky or silky doesn’t matter as long as they’re present and accounted for. Because I go for a fluffy, silky texture, I think russets are the right potato for the job. Steaming rather than boiling the potatoes and rinsing them before and during cooking -- a technique I learned from Cook’s Illustrated -- washes away some of the starch,...

Extraordinary Excellent Good Fair (No stars) Poor ALMA NOVE 22 Shipyard Drive, Hingham. 781-749-3353. Alma Nove’s website says it’s “destined to become the new hotspot on Boston’s South Shore.’’ This kind of restaurant prognostication often turns out to be wishful thinking. In this case, it’s simply a fact. Chef Paul Wahlberg, brother of actors Donnie and Mark, puts together a mouthwatering Italian menu (pork meatballs, tagliatelle with short ribs and baby artichokes)

Spring is still fleeting in New England in April, but one way to cope is to plan jaunts to culinary festivals celebrating strawberries, artichokes, and other goodies in sunnier climes. These next months also herald the wave of wine and food festivals here and abroad. So shake the doldrums and plan to stop by a crawfish festival in Louisiana, or hightail it to Henley, England, for two days of feasting. Pasadena Strawberry Festival PASADENA, Texas May 18-20 Growing strawberries was once the leading business in Pasadena, near Houston, with trainloads shipped daily to Chicago and...

Outside the sky is a deep shade of cerulean, just right for Lydia Shire's new restaurant, Blue Sky on York Beach. Inside Shire stands in front of the pizza oven as she trims fat globe artichokes and describes new dishes to her waitstaff. Blue Sky is Shire's first venture outside Boston, where her fame grew as chef and owner of Locke-Ober, the former Biba, and Pignoli. Blue Sky, which opened last winter, is gearing up for its first tourist season. "We cooked bacon, and use the fat to cook garlic and onions," she says of the meatballs that accompany whole milk...

Serves 4 1 1/4 cups coarse white breadcrumbs 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley 4 large globe artichokes 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 anchovy fillets, rinsed (optional) 1 onion, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic (2 chopped and 1 smashed)

Serves 4 This is an example of a community recipe, which means that at some point — we think around 1960 — everyone in the neighborhood was making it. It begins with mayonnaise, feta, sliced canned artichoke hearts, and pimiento (the red inside green olives), which are baked together until they’re hot. Instead of pimiento, the spread is also great with Spanish piquillo peppers or peppadews. Even when the dish cools off, the dip is still delectable. The ingredients may not sound as if they will make something terrific.

Extraordinary Excellent Good Fair (No stars) Poor ALMA NOVE 22 Shipyard Drive, Hingham. 781-749-3353. Alma Nove’s website says it’s “destined to become the new hotspot on Boston’s South Shore.’’ This kind of restaurant prognostication often turns out to be wishful thinking. In this case, it’s simply a fact. Chef Paul Wahlberg, brother of actors Donnie and Mark, puts together a mouthwatering Italian menu (pork meatballs, tagliatelle with short ribs and baby artichokes)

Serves 6 3 pounds boneless lamb leg or shoulder, cut into 2-inch pieces Salt and pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 teaspoons mixed dried thyme and oregano 1 bay leaf ...

Some Thanksgiving side dishes come and go, but not the mashed potatoes. It just isn’t a holiday without them (my friend Catrine can attest to the mayhem that ensued the year she substituted a potato gratin). Whether they’re fluffy or creamy, rich or light, or chunky or silky doesn’t matter as long as they’re present and accounted for. Because I go for a fluffy, silky texture, I think russets are the right potato for the job. Steaming rather than boiling the potatoes and rinsing them before and during cooking -- a technique I learned from Cook’s Illustrated -- washes away some of the starch,...

Serves 6 This baked bread, egg, artichoke, and leek dish uses Pain d'Avignon's olive bread, but you can make it with other hearty breads. If you're not using olive bread, increase the amount of olives to 1 cup. To make it in advance, assemble the dish but do not bake it; refrigerate overnight. Let the dish sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking. Butter (for the dish) 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 leeks, well rinsed and chopped Salt and pepper, to taste ...

Outside the sky is a deep shade of cerulean, just right for Lydia Shire's new restaurant, Blue Sky on York Beach. Inside Shire stands in front of the pizza oven as she trims fat globe artichokes and describes new dishes to her waitstaff. Blue Sky is Shire's first venture outside Boston, where her fame grew as chef and owner of Locke-Ober, the former Biba, and Pignoli. Blue Sky, which opened last winter, is gearing up for its first tourist season. "We cooked bacon, and use the fat to cook garlic and onions," she says of the meatballs that accompany whole milk ricotta cannelloni.

Serves 8 Versions of this recipe have been going around for decades. They’re made with marinated artichokes or canned artichoke hearts (as they are here), spinach, all kinds of cheeses that melt easily, plus mayo. Serve with crackers or crusty bread. 1 can (14 to 16 ounces) artichoke hearts 1 package (10 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1/4 small onion, finely chopped 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup...

Serves 4 as an appetizer Baby artichokes grace us for a short time each year. So when shoppers see them in the markets now, why aren't they fighting for these prickly, green-leafed rounds? Because they're intimidating and time consuming. Like shell beans and Brussels sprouts, artichokes require a bit of prep work. You have to cut off the tops (this isn't especially demanding), then pull away the thistle leaves (a chore). But once you get going, the task is quite simple and can even be therapeutic.