07/08/2023
"Stay Dope Artichoke"
Like the majority of young kids I hated vegetables growing up. The one exception to this rule was artichokes. I'm pretty sure this is a legacy from my grandparents who lived in California. I've passed this down to my children as well who love it steamed. But I have to tell you my favorite way is Carciofi alla Giudia - a perfect example of Roman-Jewish cooking. This typically involves a two step process - first the artichoke is cooked at a lower temperature until they are custard-soft inside and then a second time at a high temperature to crisp them up like potato chips. My technique was to sous vide them first to ensure they were cooked and tender, then fry later. This created the tender and soft heart along with addictive crunchiness.
Pan Seared Barramundi + Brown Butter & Miso Hummus + Olive Oil Fried Artichokes
I seasoned the fish lightly with salt and then in a pan over medium-heat, I cooked the fish skin side down in olive oil. Once the skin had crisped up nicely, I flipped and cooked for 1 more minute. For the hummus, I first took one stick of butter and melted that over low heat until it became brown butter. Off the heat, I mixed in 1 tbsp of white miso . In a food processor I blended 1 15.5 oz can of drained chickpeas, 1/4 cup tahini, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 chopped cloves of garlic, 3 ice cubes, 1 large pinch of salt and the butter mixture. Lastly, tasting for seasoning. For the artichoke I cut it in half, peeled the stem, removed the outer leaves and choke then placed in a vacuum seal back with some olive oil and salt. I then cooked that at 183° for 2 hours. I removed and let dry before shallow frying cut side down in olive oil at 325° until crisp. I then flipped and let it crisp up on the other side.
