Artichokes make headway as the vegetable flowers on to spring menus

Nation's Restaurant News, March 13, 2000 by Florence Fabricant

In Italy and France artichokes, like asparagus, are a symbol of spring. But in America the situation is different. Even chefs who pay some attention to the seasons and make a point of serving butternut squash in the fall are likely to ignore the calendar when it comes to artichokes.

Artichokes are served year-round, in soups, in salads, in pasta dishes, as a stand-along vegetable or a side-dish ragout, and on pizza. Crisp artichokes, as part of a mixed fry, are also popular, as are crispy fish creations with artichokes alongside.

Here is one context in which artichokes are not considered to be seasonal vegetables: crispy beer-battered artichokes, fennel, zucchini and seasonal vegetables with spicy tarragon aioli at Bambara in Salt Lake City.

It's not quite spring, yet many other operations have been serving artichokes since late fall. The following are a few examples:

* A crispy mix of rock shrimp, calamari and artichokes with romesco sauce at Napa Valley Grille in Paramus, NJ.

* Spiced crispy-skin rouget with potato brandade and artichoke ragout at Tangerine in Philadelphia.

* Crispy Chilean sea bass with artichokes, shiitake mushrooms and foie gras at Renaissance in Aspen, Colo.

* Artichoke and tomato bisque with roasted baby artichokes and oven-dried tomatoes at Atlas in Manhattan.

* Smoked chicken penne with artichokes, tomatoes and goat cheese at California Cafe in Orlando, Fla.

* Artichoke and Brie raviolo with tomato fondue and warm shallot and tarragon vinaigrette at Adrienne in Manhattan.

* Farfalle with shrimp, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and wild mushrooms in pesto garlic sauce at Prima Donna in Kinnelon, N.J.

* Veal-stuffed agnolotti with sauteed baby artichokes at Sesto Senso in Washington, D.C.

* Pizzetta with artichokes, sweet onions and Parmigiano-Reggiano at Eli's Restaurant in Manhattan.

* Roasted fennel and artichoke pizza with roasted red pepper sauce and mozzarella at Grizzly Peak Brewing Co. in Ann Arbor, Mich.

* Grilled California artichokes with a pepper-lime aioli at Food 101 in Atlanta.

* Artichoke-stuffed artichokes, steamed and roasted with aged balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil at Empire in Providence, R.I.

* Salad with artichoke vinaigrette at Seppi's in Manhattan.

* A warm artichoke and asparagus salad with Parmigiano Reggiano and aged balsamic vinegar at Icon in Manhattan.

* Baby artichoke salad with smoked salmon at Toro Tapas and Grill in Arlington, Va.

* Char-grilled filet of beef on puff pastry topped with mushroom and shallot compote and artichoke hearts at Yo Yo Grill in Omaha, Neb.

* Potato-crusted Alaskan halibut with olive-oil-poached tomatoes, artichokes and black olive essence at Aquaknox in Dallas.

* Medallions of monkfish on chive-mashed potatoes with sauteed artichoke hearts at Tuscan Square in Manhattan.

* Turkey stuffed with artichokes and prosciutto at Bondi in Manhattan.

When one considers that artichokes were far less commonplace around the country a few decades ago and mainly were served in French operations, whole, either hot or cold, it's a little hard to complain that they have become ubiquitous. After all, the fact that baby artichokes are now readily available is an advantage.