#1 looks like a painting, #2 very 3-D and #3 delicious!
Artichoke Bruschetta Recipe
Ingredients:
1 14-inch loaf Italian bread
1 cup drained, canned artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup chopped, seeded, fresh tomato
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Fresh-grated Parmesan cheese(optional)
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. With a serrated knife , cut off ends from bread and reserve for another use. Slice remaining bread crosswise into twenty-four 1/2-inch thick pieces. Place bread slices on ungreased baking sheet; bake 10 minutes or until lightly toasted.
2.In medium bowl,combine artichoke hearts, tomato, onion, garlic, oil, vinegar, and pepper.
3. Divide artichoke mixture among toasted bread and spread to cover surface. Drizzle any juice remaining in bowl over bruschetta and sprinkle with cheese, if desired. Arrange bruschetta on platter and serve. Makes 24
Nutrition information per bruschetta without cheese--protein:3grams; fat:1 gram; carbohydrate:18 grams; fiber: 1 gram; sodium:183 milligrams; cholesterol:0; calories: 100.
Artichoke and Shrimp Pasta Salad recipe
Serves 4.
Can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated.
1/2 pound medium shells or farfalle pasta
1 (9 ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts
1 pound frozen shrimp
A few leaves oregano, chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon dry
1 garlic clove, peeled an finely chopped
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring water to a boil. Cook shrimp following instructions on package. Drain well on paper towels.
Defrost and steam artichoke hearts. Drain well and place on paper towels.
Cook pasta al dente. Rinse with cold water. Drain very well. Place in large serving bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil and toss.
Prepare the garlic and the oregano or use parsley, if you prefer, while the pasta cooks. Add remaining olive oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano salt and lots of black pepper. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap or place in a sealed container and refrigerate for a couple of hours or for a day.
When ready to serve, place in a serving bowl, toss well. Check for seasoning, adding salt or pepper if need be and garnish with a few leaves of oregano or parsley.
COUSCOUS-STUFFED ARTICHOKES
4 large California artichokes
1½ cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon curry powder
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup instant couscous
¼ cup currants
½ cup sliced green onion
½ cup toasted slivered almonds, chopped
½ teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Plain lowfat yogurt, optional
Wash artichokes. Cut off stems at base and remove small bottom leaves. Stand artichokes upright in deep saucepan large enough to hold snugly. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 2 to 3 inches boiling water. Cover and boil gently 35 to 45 minutes, or until base can be pierced easily with fork. (Add a little more boiling water, if needed.) Turn artichokes upside down to drain. Carefully remove center petals and fuzzy centers with a spoon and discard. Keep warm or chill as desired.
In medium saucepan combine chicken broth, curry powder, cumin and garlic salt; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in couscous and currants. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork. Stir in green onion and almonds. Combine lemon peel, lemon juice and vegetable oil; stir into couscous.
Gently spread artichoke leaves until center cone of leaves is revealed. Pull out center cone. With a spoon, scrape out any purple-tipped leaves and fuzz. Fill centers of artichokes with couscous mixture. Serve with plain yogurt, if desired. Makes 4 generous servings.
Nutritional information per serving: calories 385; protein 13.1 g; carbohydrate 53.7 g; fat 14.5 g; sodium 632 mg; potassium 576 mg; cholesterol 0 mg; dietary fiber 5.1 g
COOK'S TIP: Fresh cooked and chilled artichokes are easy to keep on hand for quick meals. Refrigerated in a covered container, they will keep up to a week.