Anyone out there who doesn’t like artichokes? I don’t see any hands.
I think artichokes are a bit like avocados. Even served simply without a whole lot of fuss, both vegetables generate a lot of buzz around the table. Carrots and celery certainly don’t get that kind of respect. Why is that?
I found this recipe for Grilled and Smothered Artichokes in Cara Mangini’s excellent cookbook, The Vegetable Butcher. (Available on Amazon) I loved it! I think I enjoyed it as much for its bounty of artichokes as for the beauty of its presentation–charred artichoke quarters dressed in a tart lemon-garlic vinaigrette and garnished with beautiful caramelized lemon wedges hot off your grill. Your guests will be wowed. I was.
I have to confess that Mangini first got my attention with her book title. The concept of a vegetable butcher is a clever turn of a phrase. Mangini defines a vegetable butcher as “a trusted professional who breaks down vegetables with knife lessons, insider tips and approachable preparations.” Apparently that is exactly what she did when she worked at Mario Batali’s Eataly in Manhattan. In the introduction to her book she writes: “At Eataly, customers walked right up to me with their produce for purchase and I would clean it, peel it, slice it and prime it. I shredded cabbage, shelled fava beans, shaved celery root and prepped case after case of baby artichokes.” I think that’s a great concept. Wouldn’t you love to have a vegetable butcher as a lifeline when you shop at Whole Foods, for example? “Excuse me. I’m thinking of acquiring my first kohlrabi….”
No! Wait! I just looked it up. Whole Foods already has a produce butcher at its 43,000 square foot Bryant Park New York City location. For $1 a pound, they will prep your produce and whisper cooking directions in your ear. (Note the kindergarten-esque graphic advertising the various “cuts” below the lighted Produce Butcher sign shown in the photo below. “Minced” made me laugh out loud. And where is grated and cored? Shredded? Heaven forbid you would want a brunoise or a batonnet.) I know that, if I ever make it to the toney Bryant Park produce butcher, I’m going to ask her to prep a durian right there in the middle of the store. Maybe that is a bit of schadenfreude on my part, but, like my alter-ego Bart Simpson, I do thrive on chaos. ( Jimmy Kimmel tries durian.)
But, back to the book. Mangini presents more than 150 recipes and discusses the preparation and seasonality of almost 100 vegetables in her book. To be sure, she discusses mainstream vegetables like carrots and celery and sweet potatoes but she also showcases some not-so-mainstream vegetables like kohlrabi, rutabagas, and fennel. You don’t have to be a food adventurer to enjoy this book but a careful reading will definitely help you broaden your horizons when you shop the vegetable counters at your local market.
So far, I’ve found Mangini’s recipes to be several cuts ( shameless pun. sorry.) above the norm, too. She’ll have your mouth watering with recipes like Cauliflower and Caramelized Fennel Soup, Smashed and Seared Beets with Chimichurri and Goat cheese Crema, and a Late Summer Ratatouille baked under a butter, parmesan and oat crust. Oh my!
Here is my adaptation of her recipe for Grilled and Smothered Artichokes.
[mpprecipe-recipe:75]
