Artichoke, Spicy Tomato Broth, Two Ways

globe artichoke tomato broth
Globe Artichoke in Spicy Tomato Broth
Garlic, Capers, Chiles de Arboles, Croutons

artichoke heart crostini
Artichoke Heart Crostini
Tomato, Garlic, Capers, Chiles de Arboles

☆☆☆☆☆

Steamed artichoke served with a ramekin each of drawn butter and mayonnaise is so 70’s. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, it’s a delicious classic pairing after all. I remember my date, his name was Jeff, teaching me how to eat an artichoke. The year was 1978 at The Chart House in Aspen, Colorado. He showed me how to pull the outermost petals and dip them in the melted butter. How to scrape the meat from each petal with my bottom teeth. Slow, methodical, sensual. Fast forward 34 years, I’m still a fan of artichokes, but alas, not so much a fan of saturated fat accompaniments…

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Artichoke with Fragrant Tomato Broth

Artichoke – sans mayo or butter?
You bet.

Heat about a quarter cup of olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat, add 4 cloves chopped garlic, cook for a few minutes but do not brown. Add about 6 cups of vegetable stock along with a  10 oz. can of diced seeded peeled tomatoes and juice, a cup of white wine,  a half teaspoon each of dried basil and thyme, and a bay leaf, sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Add trimmed organic globe artichoke (or two), bring to a boil, then lower the heat and cook covered.
When the artichoke is almost tender, remove the bay leaf, add a half cup of rinsed capers and some chopped fresh basil. Adjust seasoning and finish cooking for about 5 minutes. Serve the tender artichoke in a soup bowl over the fragrant tomato broth. Ladle more broth and garlic and capers over the artichoke. Very flavorful,  and lower fat than some recipes…So I’m submitting this dish to Giz & Psychgrad’s Tried, Tested and True 2 Event at Equal Opportunity Kitchen.
They say, “We are asking you to submit your health-promoting tried, tested and true recipes. This can be any sort of dish – appetizer/soup/bread/main/dessert – your choice. But, it should be a low calorie dish, one that you’ve adapted from a higher fat to be a healthier choice, a vegetarian option, just to give you a few suggestions. Please don’t feel restricted. Just think about a submission that’s healthy and tastes good – that you would feed to someone you love knowing that you were promoting good, healthy eating.” I think this dish fits the bill.
To Your Good Health!