Cooking for Two - Bruce Weinstein [44]
2. Prepare the artichokes by first cutting off the stems so each artichoke has a flat bottom to stand on. Pull off any small, tough leaves (or petals, since artichokes are technically flowers) still adhering to the outside of the bottom, as well as the bottom two layers of larger leaves. Rub the bottoms of both artichokes with half of the lemon. Lay the artichokes on their sides on your work surface; use a heavy, serrated knife to cut off the top third of each. Rub the tops with the lemon half. Spread the leaves open and use a small spoon, preferably a grapefruit spoon, to scoop out the center, including the hairy fibers that come up off the choke. Rub the insides of each artichoke with the other half of the lemon.
3. Stuff about one-third of the crawfish mixture into the center of each artichoke. Use the remainder of the stuffing to fill in between the outer leaves, pressing down gently to pack the filling in. Stand the stuffed artichokes up in a 3-quart oval or round pot large enough so that they are not squeezed together. Add enough water to come up about ½ inch. Place the lemon halves in the pot, quartering them if necessary to fit. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over and around the artichokes.
4. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the bottoms of the artichokes are tender when pierced with a knife.
5. Remove the artichokes from the pot, tent with foil to keep warm, and raise the heat to high. Boil any remaining liquid in the pot until it is reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Pour this reduced cooking liquid over the artichokes and serve immediately.
Not Just Crawfish
Substitute 15 medium precooked cocktail shrimp, cleaned and deveined, for the crawfish tail meat. Or substitute 8 ounces cooked lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage.
FISH FILLETS IN PARCHMENT makes 2 servings
Nothing is easier than baking fish in an envelope of parchment paper. Herbs and vegetables will melt into a sauce you can serve over the fillets or accompanying rice. Parchment paper—a thick paper safe for baking—is found with the aluminum foil and plastic wrap in supermarkets and gourmet stores. Jarred artichoke hearts and olives carry a lot of salt, so there’s no salt added to the dish.
Two 18- to 20-inch-long pieces of parchment paper
Two -pound white-fleshed fish fillets, such as bass, snapper, orange roughy, tilapia, or cod, skinned and checked for bones
One 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
8 cherry tomatoes
12 pitted black olives, preferably herbed Provençal olives
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. Position the rack in the oven’s center and preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Lay one piece of parchment paper on top of the other on a large lipped baking sheet. Lay the fish fillets in the center of the paper. Top with the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and olives. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice; sprinkle with the pepper. Fold the parchment closed, crinkling it to make a tight seal.
3. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through. Serve immediately by unwrapping the paper and placing one fillet on each of two plates. Top with the vegetables and any cooking liquid.
An Alternate Presentation
Wrap each fillet individually in parchment packets, topping each with half the spices and vegetables. Transfer one intact, baked packet to each of two plates; unwrap the packets and eat the fish and vegetables right out of them.
COD ROASTED OVER SWISS CHARD AND GARLIC makes 2 servings
In this quick dish, a cod fillet is set on a bed of steamed greens, then baked in the oven. It’s light enough for a spring evening but comforting enough for a winter supper. If you like, substitute other light greens for the chard, such as beet greens, escarole, or dandelion greens.
¾ pound skinless cod fillet
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound Swiss chard, centerstems removed, leaves