Marinate artichokes or use them in soup

• How to trim and cook an artichoke

Los Angeles Times

Here are some of Los Angeles Times' food writer Russ Parsons' favorite artichoke recipes:

Marinated Artichokes

• 2 onions
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 pounds baby artichokes
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 2/3 cup white wine vinegar
• 2/3 cup white wine
• About 1 cup water

Slice the onions in 1/2-inch rings, trying to keep them whole. Put them in a large skillet and cover with the oil. Cook over low heat 15 minutes.

Pare the artichokes, leaving them whole and keeping them in a bowl of lemon water until ready to use.

Add the carrot and garlic to the onions, cover and cook over low heat until the onions are softened, 15 minutes more.

Add the artichokes to the skillet, cover and cook over low heat 5 minutes.

While the artichokes are cooking, combine the fennel seeds, peppercorns, salt, bay leaves, vinegar and wine in a small saucepan and bring to a full boil. Pour the mixture over the artichokes in the skillet and add enough water so the liquid comes about one-third of the way up the sides of the artichokes. Cover and cook at a fast simmer until the artichokes are tender enough that a small sharp knife penetrates the base easily, about 20 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, remove the artichokes to a bowl. Increase the heat to high and cook until the liquid has reduced to a light syrup. You'll know it's done when the liquid barely covers the bottom of the pan and begins to stick slightly.

Pour the liquid over the vegetables, cover tightly and refrigerate about 30 minutes or until ready to use. The artichokes are best served cool or at room temperature.

Each serving: 237 calories; 498 milligrams sodium; 0 cholesterol; 14 grams fat, 2 grams saturated; 25 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 3 grams fiber.

Parmesan Chips

• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan

Measure the cheese in 1 1/2-tablespoon mounds in a large, dry nonstick skillet. Leave plenty of space; you'll be able to cook 4 to 5 mounds per batch. Gently spread each mound into a thin round with your fingers. Heat the skillet over low heat until the cheese melts. It will begin to bubble and, after 3 to 5 minutes, begin to brown around the edges. Sliding the tip of a fork or a thin spatula under one edge, flip the chip and continue cooking until the second side is lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

Servings: 8 chips

Each serving: 46 calories; 186 milligrams sodium; 8 milligrams cholesterol; 3 grams fat, 2 grams saturated; 0 carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0 fiber.

Note: These chips also can be baked at 325 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes on a nonstick baking sheet or baking pan. The result is lacier and more delicate, and the flavor not quite as "browned," but this method is incredibly easy.

Los Angeles Times photo

• 4 medium artichokes (about 2 pounds)
• 1 small onion (about 1/2 pound), diced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 carrot, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium boiling potato (about 1/2 pound), diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 2 egg yolks
• Parmesan chips or grated parmesan, optional

Pare the artichokes. Cut into quarters, pare away choke and keep in a bowl of lemon water until ready to use.

Cook the onion and the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the carrot, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and continue cooking until the carrot has softened, another 5 to 10 minutes, being careful not to let the vegetables brown.

Add the garlic and potato and cook another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the artichoke quarters into 1/2-inch pieces and add them to the saucepan. Add the salt and cook, covered, 10 minutes to begin marrying the flavors.

Add the broth and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the vegetables are soft enough that you can smash them between your fingers, 25 to 30 minutes.

Transfer the soup mixture into a large mixing bowl and wipe the saucepan clean. Purée the soup in a blender on high speed until light and smooth, about 30 seconds.

Do this in three additions to keep from overflowing the blender.

As each batch is puréed, pour it through a fine strainer into the saucepan, stirring to push it through. Return the saucepan to medium-low heat.

In a bowl, stir together the whipping cream and egg yolks until smooth. When the purée has neared a simmer, spoon 1/2 cup of it into the cream/egg mixture and whisk until smooth. This "tempers" the egg yolks, cooking them slightly, so they won't curdle when added back to the saucepan.

Slowly whisk the cream/egg mixture back into the saucepan and continue to cook, whisking frequently, until the soup has thickened slightly and the texture has become silken, about 5 minutes. Do not let the soup boil or the egg will curdle.

Ladle about 1/2 cup of hot soup into a small soup bowl and garnish with a crisp parmesan chip or grated parmesan in the center.

Serves 8 to 9.

Each serving: 145 calories; 648 milligrams sodium; 56 milligrams cholesterol; 9 grams fat, 3 grams saturated; 13 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 3 grams fiber.

Simplest Fried Artichokes

• 1 pound baby artichokes
• Olive oil
• 1/4 cup flour
• Sea salt

Pare the artichokes, cutting them in quarters and then in half again lengthwise to make 1/2-inch slices. Keep them in a bowl of lemon water until ready to use.

Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat to about 360 degrees.

Meanwhile, drain the artichokes in a strainer and turn onto a tea towel. Pat them dry, return them to the strainer and shake, gradually pouring the flour over the top. Keep shaking to remove the excess flour (it's best to do this over the trash can). The artichokes should be barely covered with a film of flour.

If you don't have a thermometer, add a single artichoke piece to the pan; the oil should bubble merrily. Add the artichokes to the oil a small handful at a time. Don't overcrowd the pan or the oil will dip below a good frying temperature; it's much better to fry in small batches. (Figure 3 to 4 batches for a pound of artichokes.) When the artichokes are golden, about 2 to 3 minutes, remove them with a slotted spoon or Chinese skimmer. Tap the spoon against the side of the pan to shake off excess oil, then drain on a paper towel. While hot, sprinkle them with salt and serve immediately, or keep them warm on a paper towelilined baking sheet in a 350-degree oven.

Note: Using a decent but not great olive oil adds a nice flavor note. These are good served with parmesan chips.

Each serving: 58 calories; 20 milligrams sodium; 0 cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 1 grams saturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 1 gram fiber.

How to trim and cook an artichoke

Here are two methods for cleaning an artichoke. The first is for amateurs, the second for those who are confident of their skill with a knife.

1. Trimming an artichoke: Fill a bowl with water and the juice of one-half lemon. Reserve remaining one-half lemon.

• Technique 1. Pull off the tough outer leaves of the artichoke. With a sharp chef's knife, cut off the top half-inch of the artichoke. With kitchen shears or a serrated knife, trim off the sharp tips of all the remaining leaves right below the notch in the tip. Rub artichoke with half-lemon.
• Technique 2. Slowly turn the artichoke against the sharp edge of the knife while making an abbreviated sawing motion with the knife. (It's easier to control if you use the base of the knife rather than the tip.) You will begin to cut through the tough outer leaves; when you can discern the natural cone shape of the artichoke, adjust the knife to follow it. Keep trimming until you've cut away enough that you can see only light green at the bases.

2. Cut off the top half-inch or so of the tip and dip the artichoke into the lemon water.

3. Once you have completed Technique 1 or 2, with a paring knife, trim away the very tip of the stem, then peel the stem and base going from the tip to the base. There should be no dark green tough spots left, only pale green and ivory. If you're leaving the artichoke whole, put it in the lemon water and repeat the instructions for the remaining artichokes.

4. For many recipes, you'll want to halve or quarter the artichoke. Cut it in half vertically, then in half again if you want quarters.

Check the choke. With babies, there probably will be just a little fuzz; if this is the case, put the quarters in the lemon water and go on to the next artichoke. For medium and large artichokes, there will be what looks like very fine hair. Carefully cut just below that to the very base of the leaves and it will pop off, leaving a clean heart. Pull away any purplish prickly leaves.

Put the cleaned quarters in the lemon water and go on to the next artichoke.

Steaming an artichoke: Place 4 trimmed artichokes in a single layer in a pot. Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Toss in a few lemon slices, some garlic and one bay leaf and add enough water to come half-way up the artichokes. Season with salt, cover and simmer until artichokes can easily be pierced with a sharp knife, about 40 minutes. Remove from liquid and serve warm or cold.

Braised artichokes: Trim 8 artichokes and immerse in lemon water as above. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large dutch oven and add 1 each diced carrot, onion and celery stalk; saute until softened. Add 1/4 cup water and a handful of fresh herbs tied up in a cheesecloth bag (basil, thyme, parsley, garlic, fennel or coriander seed, as desired). Cook until vegetables are tender, 15 minutes. Add 1/4 cup each dry white wine and wine vinegar. Drain artichokes and add to pot. Cover with about 6 cups water and simmer over medium heat until artichokes are easily pierced with a fork. Remove from heat and allow artichokes to cool in braising liquid. Serve hot or cold as side dish, or use artichoke parts in other dishes. From "The Anatomy of a Dish" by Diane Forley with Catherine Young (Artisan, hardback, $35).