12425 Artichoke Hearts in Red Wine Sauce Serves 6 Wed Aug 06 01:07:00 -0700 2008 Wed Jul 08 16:33:55 -0700 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12425 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:33:55 GMT This is a rich, wonderful dish, but it takes time. The recipe is an old one from the Languedoc; the sauce has extraordinary depth and texture. I originally served the ragout as a first course in small, individual brioches, but now I prefer it as an accompaniment to grilled lamb or roast veal.

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  • If using fresh artichokes, prepare the bottoms as described on page 327. Quarter the bottoms and remove the chokes. Reserve 1 cup of the trimmings for the sauce base. If using thawed frozen artichokes, chop 2 or 3 hearts into small pieces and set aside separately from the others.
  • In a large nonreactive skillet, cook the pancetta in 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the artichoke trimmings, ham, onion, mushrooms, scallions, carrot, and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute, stirring. Pour in the red wine. Bring to a boil, stirring. Blend in the tomato paste and add the herb bouquet, peppercorns, and ½ teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1½ hours.
  • Stir in the reduced stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain, pressing down on the solids to extract all their juices. Skim off as much fat as you can from the surface of the stock. You should have about 2 cups. Adjust the seasoning, adding a pinch of sugar, if necessary. Set the red wine sauce aside.
  • In a large skillet, sauté the quartered artichoke bottoms in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over moderately high heat until lightly browned around the edges, about 2 minutes. Pour off the oil. Add the Armagnac and reduce to a glaze.
  • Add the red wine sauce and simmer for 15 minutes for raw fresh artichokes or 5 minutes for defrosted artichoke hearts. Swirl in the butter to thicken the sauce. Garnish with the chopped parsley.
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com Paula Wolfert 51 Side Dish 90 6 globe artichokes or 2 packages (9 ounces each) frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

    ]]>     409 1 cup finely diced pancetta

    ]]>     ¼ cup French peanut oil or light olive oil

    ]]>     459 1 cup finely diced jambon de Bayonne, prosciutto, or Serrano ham

    ]]>     54 1½ cups chopped onions

    ]]>     30 ½ cup chopped mushrooms

    ]]>     54 ⅔ cup minced scallions

    ]]>     119 1 cup sliced carrots

    ]]>     74 2 teaspoons sliced fresh garlic

    ]]>     1 bottle (750 ml) full-bodied red wine, such as California Petite Sirah

    ]]>     109 2 teaspoons tomato paste

    ]]>     77 Herb bouquet: 3 sprigs of parsley, 1 sprig of thyme, and 1 imported bay leaf tied in a bundle with string

    ]]>     305 6 peppercorns, lightly cracked

    ]]>     301 Salt

    ]]>     1½ cups unsalted chicken stock (storebought or homemade—page 405), reduced to ¾ cup

    ]]>     298 Pinch of sugar

    ]]>     1½ tablespoons Armagnac or Cognac

    ]]>     2 tablespoons unsalted butter

    ]]>     203 1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

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