|
We have two recipes this month. One for perfectly prepared artichokes and the other for a healthy broth that would be great for a seasonal detox!
My Grandmother's Artichokes
by Patricia Hadden
Ingredients:
• Raw, large artichokes (soft ball-sized - one for each person)
• Raw garlic cloves
• Olive oil
• Parmesan cheese
• Patience!
Preparation Instructions: 1. Take fresh artichokes and slice bottom stalk off so they will sit flat. If the thorns on the outer leaves are sharp, clip the ends, flat.
2. Place in bottom of large pot and fill so that water almost covers artichokes. (You can steam the artichokes instead if you have a large steamer!)
3. Put on a gentle boil and cook about halfway, so that ends of artichoke leaves start to darken.
4. Remove artichokes and let cool a little. When cool enough to handle get out a large cutting board and take an artichoke, hold it upside down and press firmly down on the bottom so that the leaves start to spread. Loosen all artichokes in this fashion.
5. If you have the patience, spread leaves and remove inner choke by pulling out small center leaves and scraping out the "choke" fibers. For this job, I use a serrated grapefruit spoon. (If this step is too daunting, skip it, they'll taste just fine; you'll just have to deal with those fibers as you eat the artichokes.)
7. Slice garlic into very thin slices. Then place one slice at the base of each artichoke leaf, working from the outside in to minimize loosening leaves too much.
8. Drizzle olive oil over artichokes, spreading leaves you as go.
9. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over artichokes, making sure you get some in between each leaf.
10. Return artichokes to pot and continue mild boil until tender (or return to the steamer.)
11. Leaves should all darken and pull out easily.
Serving Instructions:
Serve with melted butter with lemon juice, mayonnaise with lemon juice or other favorite dipping sauce.
Recipe contributor, Pat Hadden from California, is an old friend. This artichoke recipe is from her maternal grandma, Natalie Ratushenko. She was a terrific cook who also made an absolutely killer borscht - the recipe for which might appear in a future issue of Spirit Living. Of this recipe, Pat says, "It's a bit time-consuming but so yummy!" -Editor.
---------------------------------
Some of our readers choose to do a fast in the Spring to cleanse and refresh their internal systems. If you are so inclined, here is a recipe for a detox broth from our columnist, Mama Donna Henes! -Editors.
Mama Donna's "What's Good For
You Detox Broth"
• Peeled potatoes • Cabbage
• Collard or other greens
• Onions
• Carrots
• Turnips
• Parsley
• Fresh ginger root
• 3 whole heads of garlic
• As much cayenne pepper as you can stand!
In a large soup pot, make a broth by covering the ingredients with water and boiling until tender.
Strain liquid and feed veggies to your dog. Or puree them and freeze for future soups.
Sip all day to fast. This is a blood purifier and toxin cleanser. And amazingly filling.
For those of you who have issues with nightshade veggies, you may need to leave out the potatoes. -Editors.
Have you got a healthy meal idea? We'd love to share it with our readers. Send your recipes and comments to us at: editors@spiritliving.org.
|
