Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada de Laurentiis Read Free Book Online Page A

olive oil
    1 garlic clove, minced
    1 pound frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
    ¾ teaspoon salt
    ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    ½ cup chicken broth
    ¼ cup Marsala wine
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    ⅓ cup plain bread crumbs
    ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    Preheat the oven to 450°F.
    Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the artichoke hearts, parsley, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and sauté until the artichoke hearts are starting to brown at the edges, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth and wine and simmer for 3 minutes. Transfer the artichoke mixture to a 1½-quart baking dish.
    Melt the butter in the same skillet used to cook the artichokes. Add the bread crumbs and stir to coat with the butter. Stir in the Parmesan, then sprinkle the bread-crumb mixture over the artichokes. Bake until the top is golden, about 10 minutes.
     

    Use this recipe as a guideline and a suggestion, as you could really serve any odds and ends you find in the vegetable bin with this versatile vinaigrette. Think about adding broccoli florets, green beans, or summer squash, just to name a few.
    4 servings
    Tarragon Vinaigrette
    6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
    ½ teaspoon salt
    ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    Vegetable Sauté
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    1 large shallot, sliced
    1 garlic clove, minced
    8 ounces button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
    1 bunch of asparagus (1 pound), trimmed and cut in 3-inch pieces
    1 (8-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
    ½ pint teardrop tomatoes, halved
    ½ teaspoon salt
    ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    For the tarragon vinaigrette, combine the oil, vinegar, tarragon, salt, and pepper in a glass screw-top jar. Seal the jar and shake vigorously to mix.
    For the vegetable sauté, warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the asparagus and artichokes and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper; toss with the vinaigrette.
    Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.
     

     

    Artichokes take a little time to prepare, but it’s time well spent for a dish this extraordinary. The filling becomes hot, bubbly, and creamy, like an individual serving of warm artichoke dip for each diner. You can get most of the prep work out of the way well ahead of time, too; the artichokes can be boiled earlier in the morning and baked later or, if you prefer, the whole dish can be prepared a day in advance, as it reheats very well.
    4 servings
    4 artichokes
    3 lemons
    10 ounces mild Gorgonzola cheese, at room temperature
    2 tablespoons heavy cream
    2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
    1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
    1 garlic clove, finely minced
    ½ teaspoon salt
    ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    3 tablespoons plain bread crumbs
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Trim the artichokes by cutting off the top inch or so. Cut the stem close to the base of the artichoke so the artichoke can stand upright, and remove some of the tough outer leaves. Using kitchen shears, trim the sharp points off of any remaining outer leaves. Drop the artichokes into the boiling water. Halve the lemons and squeeze the juice into the boiling water, then toss in the lemons. Cook the artichokes until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the artichokes upside down on a clean kitchen towel and let cool.
    Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the Gorgonzola cheese, cream, thyme, 2 teaspoons of the parsley, the