Artichoke (also known as Cynara cardunculus) is a tall plant that originated from the Mediterranean and southern Europe. Many culinary experts use this in preparing special dishes because it contains numerous vitamins and nutrients. Some of the nutrients that you can get from this vegetable are dietary fibers, protein, potassium, calcium and phosphorus. In addition to these, the vegetable is also rich in magnesium, riboflavin as well as folate. To learn how to cook artichoke, it is best to know several recipes that use the plant as one of the key ingredients.
Potato Artichoke Cream Cheese Soup
The ingredients for this recipe are two tablespoons extra virgin oil, two small white onions, a clove of garlic, two medium size potatoes, a small package of artichokes, four cups chicken stock, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, a block of softened cream cheese and two tablespoons chopped scallions.
Pour the virgin oil in a skillet and heat over medium fire. Mince the garlic and chop the onions. Add the onions and garlic in the skillet and sauté. Put the potatoes in the skillet and cook for six minutes. Add the cream cheese, chicken stock, artichokes, pepper and salt. Cover the skillet and cook for 20 minutes. Puree the mixture using a blender or a food processor. Drizzle the soup with scallions. Serve immediately.
Artichoke Patties
The dish contains a small can of artichokes, two eggs, two cups of flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and a ½ cup of Parmesan cheese. Get a bowl and mix all the ingredients. Get a handful of the mixture and flatten it. Continue doing this until you finish shaping the mixture. Fry the patty one by one in a small skillet and serve with a tasty side dish.
Artichoke-Spinach Casserole
The ingredients for this special dish are a can of artichokes, two boxes frozen spinach, a stick of softened butter, two small packs of cream cheese, ½ teaspoon pepper, ½ teaspoon salt and a cup of bread crumbs. Look at the package of the spinach and cook the vegetable based on the instructions. Melt butter in a small saucepan and add the cream cheese and spinach. Sprinkle with pepper and salt. Top with artichokes and add the breadcrumbs. Mix well and cover the saucepan. Remove the pan and transfer it inside the oven that was preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and put in a clean plate. Serve immediately.
