First Born

Here is my first born strawberry.It was a double, so we could each have a bite!Delicious!Have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

Goat Cheese Tart

So much of my cooking is determined by what items need to get used up before they turn into refrigerator �mummies� worthy of an archeological dig. So it was with a large log of goat cheese that I had bought recently. Enough with the goat cheese and beet salad, much as I love it. Time for something different.

Once I saw Marie�s ricotta cheese tart on Proud Italian Cook, I had all the inspiration I needed. It not only looked sensational, but I knew it would taste terrific. Everything Marie makes is wonderful.  Another time I will try her recipe verbatim, but this time I substituted the goat cheese for the ricotta she used and added another egg to lighten it up, along with a few herbs to brighten the flavor.

With a salad of fresh garden greens by its side, it made a perfect dinner, but I could also see small wedges of this as an appetizer. Or bake it in a square or rectangular tart pan and cut into squares for bite-size nibbles. Of course, if you don�t like goat cheese, you�re not going to like this tart. In that case, follow Marie�s example and stick with the ricotta.

Here�s another idea using that asparagus spoke design: a beautifully prepared asparagus and leek quiche made by Stacey Snacks, another one of my favorite food bloggers. If only I�d had an excess of leeks and gruyere in the fridge instead of goat cheese. Next time.

  Either way, stay with the arrangement of asparagus spears and small tomato halves. It�s almost too pretty to slice into. �.Almost.

Goat Cheese Tart

soft goat cheese at room temperature (about 10 to 12 ounces)

3 large eggs

1 crushed garlic clove

Zest of one lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

1 T. dried herbs de Provence or minced fresh herbs

asparagus stalks, peeled and blanched for a minute or two

small tomatoes, like Campari tomatoes, cut in half

Partially cooked tart shell (I bought pie dough in the refrigerated case and baked it about 10 minutes)

Pre-bake the tart shell and let it cool. Mix the goat cheese until smooth with the garlic, lemon zest, herbs, salt and pepper and pour mixture into pie shell.

Arrange asparagus and tomato halves on top and sink them slightly into the ricotta.

Bake in a 375 degree oven until crust is golden and goat cheese is set � about 30 to 45 minutes.

 

Technorati Tags: goat cheese tart,asparagus

First Caprese Salad of the Season

For some people, Memorial Day grilling kicks off the summer season.For me, it's my first Caprese Salad that signifies it's time for warm weather foods!Since it's still technically spring, and we won't have Jersey tomatoes till late August, why not use roasted peppers?Red and yellow, please.The little basil leaves are from my herb garden, and the olives in the middle of the platter are there

Grilled Salmon w/ Lime-Ade

Here is a simple marinade for delicious grilled salmon (adapted from Culinate).What the heck is Lime-ade anyway?I had to look it up, it's a frozen concentrate sort of like lemonade. If you can't find it, use Rose's Lime Juice, or fresh lime juice w/ honey instead. I used Rose's.equal parts of:Rose's Lime Juice or Lime-AdeSoy SauceOlive oil 4 cloves garlic, minced2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped2

Strawberry, Chocolate Hazelnut , Banana Cream Smoothie

Natasha from 5 Star Foodie has perfect timing!


This months 5 Star Makeover comes with the anticipation of being a winner of a the HealthMaster Blender. So here I made a smoothie just for the event.. "without a blender". I hope this counts as a smoothie with a twist. Last week I was cleaning out the cupboards and my blender jar tumbled out as I was pulling out the rest of the cabinet contents, shattered glass everywhere! "This isn't good.. we use our blender often". But not to fret, :) I have a mini and a large capacity food processor which worked well for this smoothie.

The layers go like this..
Strawberry on the bottom,
Chocolate Hazelnut in the middle
and Banana cream on top.

This is a yogurt and fresh fruit based smoothie with layers of fresh fruit between the flavor layers. I did add a little bit of whey protein to each filling.. besides the nutrient benefit, it also adds a creamy texture with a vanilla flavor enhancement. I use Jarrow Formula Vanilla Flavored Whey Protein which I purchase from Henry's Markets here in So. Cal.

Ingredients

Strawberry
1 1/2 Cups Fresh Strawberries (reserving 2 strawberries for slicing)
1 Cup Plain or Vanilla Yogurt *
1 rounded Tbp. Protein Powder

Chocolate Hazelnut
1/2 Cup Nutella
1 Cup Plain or Vanilla Yogurt *
1 rounded Tbp. Protein Powder

Banana
1 1/2 Bananas (reserving 6-7 thin slices)
1 Cup Plain or Vanilla Yogurt *
1 rounded Tbp. Protein Powder

2 tsp. Nutella & 2 tsp. cream warmed and heated for drizzling on top

* If you are using plain yogurt but would like some extra sweetness, honey is a good alternative.


Directions
Blend the individual fruits and flavors separately. Set aside.
With a spoon or small ladle pour Strawberry blend in the bottom of the glass.
Layer the reserved strawberry slices on top. This will ensure that the next layer will not blend into the first layer.
Next carefully ladle the chocolate blend onto the strawberries. Layer that with the thinly sliced bananas.
Next carefully ladle the banana blend on top. With your warmed nutella cream, drizzle a few swirls on top of the banana blend. If you have fresh whipped cream go all out and scoop a dollop on top. I was intending on doing tjhis but I was out of heavy whipping cream so I used the next best thing, Nutella!


Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Spring Panzanella: It's all about the BREAD

A summer panzanella salad is all about the end of summer, ripe tomatoes and basil, or is it?Maybe it's really just a vehicle for these fantastic, garlicky croutons.Instead of tomatoes, this version of panzanella salad highlights spring produce, leeks and asparagus.....and the croutons, of course.WARNING: These croutons are scary, so make a double batch. You will wind up eating them right off the

Baci Di Dama

I don�t know about you, but when I sit down with a cup of tea or coffee, I want a little nibble to go with it. When you�re ordering an espresso in Italy, it�s easy to find bars that offer a selection of miniature goodies including these little cookie nuggets called baci di dama � or ladies� kisses.

I don�t need a humongous slice of layer cake slathered with frosting. Just give me a few little cookies to satisfy my sweet tooth.  Look at this photo with a plate of small cookies including baci di dama , resting next to two cups of macchiati (plural of macchiato, which is an espresso with a touch of steamed milk. Macchiato literally means stained in Italian). One reason you gotta love Italy is for the coffee. Aside from the quality, which puts Starbucks and most other U.S. coffee joints to shame, the price is so reasonable. 

You can see from this photo we paid only 3 euros and 60 cents for two outstanding macchiati . That would have been about $5.00 U.S. Plus they brought us a couple of glasses of water and a small plate of delicious little cookies,  including baci di dama, for free. Oh yes, and a little extra warmed milk if we needed it.  How civilized!

Now, truth be told, in Italy it�s not typical to get such a nice dish of cookies for free at your local neighborhood bar. The photo was taken in the cafe of the castello in Ferrara. But baci di dama can be found in many bars and bakeries all over Italy.

I was long overdue making baci di dama myself, so I started out by searching the web and came up with this recipe from Epicurious.com. But after reading some of the reviews from people who had used the recipe, I decided to make some adjustments, including the addition of baking powder, more butter and more hazelnuts.

The cookies should be a little more spherical than mine, but part of the problem was that I rolled the dough into balls that I thought were small enough, but really weren�t. They spread a little and they�re fine that way, but if you make them smaller � more like the size of a large marble � you�ll get a cookie that is closer to the authentic baci di dama you find in Italy.

Baci Di Dama

Printable Recipe Here

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted , any loose skins rubbed off in a kitchen towel, and cooled

1 cup confectioners sugar

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, well softened

1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3 ounces dark chocolate, melted  (Melt chocolate in the microwave over low heat, or in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets with butter or line with parchment paper.

Put nuts into food processor with confectioner�s sugar and pulse until finely ground. Don�t let it become a paste.

Place the softened butter, zest, salt, and nut mixture in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Add flour, and baking powder, stirring until mixed.

Form little balls the size of marbles (I made mine bigger but they get a more rounded appearance if they�re smaller.) Place on greased baking sheets and bake, one sheet at a time, until pale golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool, then spread a little melted chocolate on one half and press a second cookie onto the other side.

 

Technorati Tags: baci di dama,cookies

Are You Ready To Win?

When you look at fresh homemade pasta's don't you wish you had the tools to create dishes like this at home. Don't you visit your favorite Italian foodie blogs and stare in envy and say to yourself, "I am going to make that.. as soon as I buy a pasta machine, a gnocci board or attachments to make the job easier".

I'm so exited to offer my FIRST contest allowing you the opportunity to be a part of the "pasta recipe fun" and a chance to win a $60.00 gift certificate to the CSN stores..

And for those of you who already own your pasta making tools.. please, still enter!
The contest winner will be able to use the certificate at any of the CSN stores whether it's cookware.com or not.

Stay tuned.. next week I'll announce the details of the Pasta Recipe contest here on DMC. For now.. be thinking of your favorite pasta recipe!

And have a look at some of my homemade fresh pasta's here at
Dalla Mia Cucina!


Basic Egg Pasta Dough Recipe
"Pasta al' Uovo"
(1 pound)
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lukewarm water

Directions
Place the flour on a large floured surface.
Make a well in the center. Break the eggs into the well.
Add the salt, oil, and water. Beat the mixture in the well with a fork.
Using a fork, gently start to work the flour into the liquid.
Continue until the dough becomes sticky and difficult to work with the fork.
Use your hands to form the rough dough into a ball.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface.
Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Cover with a bowl or towel and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Proceed with rolling and cutting the pasta according to your recipe

Buon Appetito!!
Laurie

Polenta Bouchees w/ Fig Balsamic Jam

I think I could just live on appetizers.Tapas, antipasti, stuzzachini, cheese, bread, and little noshes would make me happy every night for dinner instead of a large meal.With a nice bottle of red wine to go with, of course.I recently attended the Taste of Nations Share our Strength dinner in Princeton, NJ, courtesy of Christo from Chez What, and I tasted these little polenta bites w/ fig jam.I

Mediterranean Chocolate Cake w/ Lemon & Olive Oil

I rarely make special cakes with icing or frosting.I am too lazy. I like the easy way: sprinkle with powdered sugar and move on.Butter is another thing I don't like. Yes, I love to eat it, but no, I don't like to wait for it to come to room temperature and mix it into cakes, because I use a wooden spoon, not a mixer. Old school.I searched the Wonderful World Wide Web (wwww) and found this

Broccoli & Aged Gouda "Cheese Souffle"

We have a dairy not far away called the Winchester Cheese Co. I have posted about this farm and cheese purveyor before and expressed my favorable opinion of this cheese. I was reminded recently why I enjoyed their dairy products so much, while on a visit to the Temecula Farmers Market I happened to pick up some of their Super Aged Gouda. This is considered their ultimate superior cheese that is aged over one year. It has a very sharp taste, rich orange yellow color and makes an excellent and flavorful accent for recipes like this cheese souffle.

I used a recipe for a Cheese Souffle that I found in Aliza Green's cookbook called, �Starting With Ingredients�. Aliza has been recognized as a James Beard Award winning author for this book. This award winning cheese along with an award winning author's recipe made for an amazing souffle display!

I would normally include a recipe with a photo description but this recipe is from a published author and not my own nor an adaptation. From what recipes I have read it seems that souffle ingredients are very similar as far as egg, flour and liquid ratios are concerned with the difference occurring in cheeses, vegetables and seasonings. I think if you happen to have a good cookbook with a souffle recipe chances are you can enhance it with what you have on hand. That's usually what I do with a quiche or fritatta too. :)

I'm also exited to share that I will be a part of a food community called Foodierama.

Foodierama is designed as a portal front page containing teasers to the latest posts of all the best food blogs. With Foodierama users get a panoramic view of what's going on in the food blog-sphere all on one graphic page.
Foodierama also includes an intuitive logo-based directory of the best food sites on the web. Registered users can add their own personal links to the directory for easy access. Last but not least, Foodierama includes a specialized food search engine based on Google search. Using the search box at the top of the page users can perform either a regular Google search or a food related search that will only show results from the best food sources on the web.

Check it out here!

Ciao and Buon Appetito!
Laurie

Crostini Time

Crostini � or �little toasts� � are one of the easiest ways to create a quick appetizer for guests or a fast lunch for yourself.  I still had some fig jam left over from last year�s batch and used it for a sweet and savory crostino (singular of crostini) with prosciutto crudo, mozzarella cheese and a fresh green basil leaf. The inspiration for this one came from a wonderful blog called The Italian Dish.

But I got to thinking that this might also be good with prosciutto cotto (a very delicate and perfumed baked ham from Italy). If you can�t find prosciutto cotto, my supermarket also sells something called �French ham� which is nearly the same. Even though this may look like it, don�t use plain old baked ham. The flavor pales in comparison. Rather than the mozzarella, with this one I used goat cheese (ricotta would be another great choice for either of these) and some purple basil from the garden, along with a smidgeon of the fig jam.

But there�s no crostini rule that says you have to go Italian. This avocado and tomato crostini was really refreshing. Just smashed avocado mixed with a little garlic, salt, pepper, chopped jalapeno and cilantro.

Or how about this one, which is more like a French tartine: some goat cheese and sliced radishes, straight from my friend Dorothy�s garden:

The possibilities are endless beyond the ubiquitous rubbed garlic, tomatoes and basil. Just start with some sliced bread that�s been grilled or toasted with a little olive oil and use your imagination � zucchini, olives, pistachios � anything really. Inspiration can come from leftovers or something you just dreamed up. Either way, it makes for a fast and easy lunch or appetizer.

Here�s a little chart to give you some other ideas. Mix and match and come up with your own version.

A. Bottom Layer:                                                                               B. Top Layer

mozzarella cheese                                                                             grilled zucchini

goat cheese                                                                                          chopped sun dried tomatoes

smashed avocado mixture                                                            caramelized onions

melted fontina cheese                                                                      leftover ratatouille or tapanade

                                                                                

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: crostini,prosciutto crudo,prosciutto cotto,fig jam,radishes,avocado

Hangover Eggs

Tomato sauce is always a good thing when you don't feel well. Here is a great cure for a hangover, or just a delicious breakfast/brunch idea. (Serve with Bloody Marys, of course).Hangover Eggs: (by way of the Good Mood Food Blog)1 28oz. can of Italian San Marzano chopped tomatoeshandful of fresh basilhandful of fresh spinach1 small onion, chopped2 cloves garlic, chopped4 eggssalt & pepperIn a

Good Ideas: Smoked Salmon on Potato Chips w/ Creme Fraiche

I have been making these for years.This is the no brainer appetizer I always make when my family comes over for holidays.It's a no stress beginner, so I can concentrate on the main dishes.How funny to see a recipe for them in the May issue of Bon Appetit magazine!Hey, that's my idea!!!!I used to serve these on Trader Joe's blue potato chips, nice and thick and a pretty blue color, but I can't

Roasted Beet Carpaccio w/ Mint

I said "BEET" carpaccio, not "BEEF"!Tricked you!If you love roasted beets, and you know I do, this is a beautiful way to serve them.You can roast the beets the day before and just assemble before serving.You will need a very sharp knife, or a mandolin to slice the beets super thin.Roasted Beet Carpaccio (inspired by Sunday Suppers)2 large golden beets, stems and leaves trimmed2 large red beets,

"Smokehouse Restaurant" at Ponte Winery

Imagine a setting of lush grounds inhabited by colorful roses, olive trees and a backdrop of vines that stretch along for miles and miles. Buildings with a country like architectural feel draped in foliage of green, and skies dotted with puffs of white clouds. Then close your eyes and listen carefully as the keys of a piano softly calm with jazzy notes and romantic interludes. And to think it can�t get any better, the senses being aroused by the aromas coming from the kitchen wafting throughout the restaurants courtyard.



No it�s not a dream nor a setting from a movie, but here in the Temecula Valley a restaurant resides on the Ponte Winery Family Estate called the Smokehouse Restaurant, serving up wonderful American, Mediterranean and Italian dishes you�ll look forward to coming back to for more. This Al Fresco dining experience is worth trying!


The first time we came to this restaurant was for our anniversary a few years ago in the month of June. Entering, we walked through a lane of manicured vines just coming into full bloom, the whole atmosphere was very inviting.

This particular time we had reservations, which I do suggest. If you do happen to arrive without reservations on a weekend, expect to wait for 45 minutes to over an hour. This has happened to us before, but we made good use of our time in the wine tasting room and gift shop. The wine tasting room is open Mon. - Thurs $10 per person or Fri. - Sun $15 per person.
Tasting includes 6 wine tastes and a souvenir Ponte logo glass
The last time we were there I was introduced to a red wine that will be on my �favorites� list called Beverino. I prefer a white wine, but this was very soft, smooth and lightly sweet.

If shopping and wine tasting doesn�t hold your attention long enough, a stroll around the beautiful grounds may be just what you�re looking for.


The Food
We have been very satisfied with our meals for all of our visits. My husband�s preference for a steak prepared medium rare has never left him disappointed. He has had their rib eye with a dollop of herb butter and also their Angus beef with a Cabernet demi glace and has always walked away with praise for it being perfectly done. I tend to order fish more often than naught and also have been completely satisfied. Seared Ahi Tuna was on the menu our first visit and I couldn�t be happier. Served with baby vegetables and fava beans perfectly cooked I was amazed and happy. Fava beans at the time weren�t a local harvest and were picked from a Northern California produce distributor that drove down to Southern California weekly to purvey his goods. Now here in Temecula, you can find a fresh harvest of Fava beans at our local Temecula Farmers Market.

Our most recent visit my husband and I both ordered the Cedar Planked Salmon with an Apricot Glaze. I have yet to do it, but I WILL replicate this at home. Not to sweet, and just the right dousing, it was fabulous! They prepare their planked salmon by first grilling it on both sides and then laying a cedar plank on top and placing it in the smoker along with the vegetables. It was also served with poblano goat cheese grits with a Graciela reduction. It didn�t taste like grits, it was much more appetizing than what I thought grits normally taste like. My expectations were exceeded.

We had the wine country salad. This was the only thing I wasn�t particularly thrilled about. I prefer a balance of acidity and sour. In my opinion there was too much tang. The Tahitian vanilla balsamic vinaigrette was a bit on the sour side as well as the feta cheese. I prefer a soft and mild goat cheese or a gorgonzola to balance out the flavors if the vinegar is strong. It had candied walnuts and dried cranberries as well, which I do like but in my opinion there was a flavor battle going on.

And on to the dessert.. superb!!
I have to try tiramis� at every restaurant that serves it. Whether it�s to get a new creative idea or to just revel in the pleasure of tiramis�, my husband and I are always game. With the first bite I was exploding in delight. Not your typical tiramis�, it had an extra surprise crunch. Oh my gosh.. I was ecstatically trying to discern which nut it was, and when we flagged the waiter down he must have thought I was a little quirky with my inquiries. But I thought it had to be --------- to follow in the Italian tradition and having a well rounding of rum in the dessert as well.. it was perfect! Although, he seemed a little hesitant to tell me the ingredient, but when he came back from the kitchen and quietly passed our table he whispered into our hearing the surprise ingredient. I think my excitement also came from my husband�s accolades for my discerning taste buds as he put it. It definitely doesn�t hurt having your husband as your most adoring admirer. ?

This restaurant does make provisions for families and larger groups; it has a very classy but comfortable atmosphere.

Friday and Saturday evenings from 5:00pm - 8:00pm live music performances are provided ranging from classical guitar, jazz violin and romantic keyboard interludes.

The lunch menu and dinner menu are basically the same but differ in the price. For an evening meal expect to pay anywhere from $30 to $40 per person which would most likely include your salad, entr�e and a glass of wine. Soon after you�re seated a complimentary basket of fresh baked rosemary and herb bread with a dipping sauce is brought to your table. So wonderful and aromatic.. but go easy, you won�t want to fill up before your meal arrives!

If you�ll be in the Temecula Wine Country I would definitely recommend you try The Smokehouse Restaurant and wine tasting at the Ponte Winery.
Smokehouse Restaurant at Ponte Winery
35053 RANCHO CALIFORNIA ROAD, TEMECULA, CALIFORNIA 92591
(951) 694-8855 (877) 314-WINE OPEN DAILY FROM 10AM TO 5PM


Buon Appetito!
Laurie M. Vengoechea
Dalla Mia Cucina �

Rhubarb Cobbler Cake

Rhubarb, like ramps or scapes, is a once a year thing.It's a spring thing. If you don't get 'em now, then you are out of luck.Rhubarb has a beautiful red and green stalk and yet is kind of creepy looking.I love the smell when it is cooking, it's spicy and exotic & sexy in a weird way.It is a vegetable, not a fruit.It is very easy to grow in your garden (but what are you going to do with it all??

What's for Dinner? Spicy Honey Chicken Thighs

Why do I have skinless and boneless chicken thighs in my freezer?I have no clue.I am sure I meant to use boneless thighs with the skin on for a tagine or something. I don't like chicken without skin. Not enough flavor.What am I going to do with these?122 reviewers gave this recipe 5 stars on the Cooking Light site, so why not try it?This was easy and excellent. The two E words I like during

How To Trim An Artichoke/Artichoke Risotto

If you�ve never had risotto made with fresh artichokes, get out there now that artichokes are in season and so reasonably priced. Sure you can use frozen artichokes and the result would be good (don�t try the canned ones for this recipe) but fresh artichokes elevates this to a different level.

Wegman�s Supermarket recently had artichokes on sale at 2 for $1.00 � a real bargain. The low price gave me the incentive to try something besides the stuffed artichoke recipe that�s a standard in our house. Trimming the artichokes does take a little time, but you�ll be rewarded with the unparalleled flavor of fresh artichokes. 

I�ll take you through the process, step-by-step.

First slice off the top 1/2 to 1/3 of the leaves. Reserve all those pieces you chop off. I�ll show you what to do with them later.

Then peel away the lower level or two of leaves.

Using a sharp knife, start slicing through the woodier portion of the leaf and leave only the more tender parts of the artichoke.

Slice off most of the stem.

Take a smaller knife and trim the remaining stem and the bottom of the artichoke.

This is what you�ll be left with. In Italy, you see vendors at outdoor markets trimming baskets full of artichokes and selling them already cleaned for you.

Next I slice open the artichoke and you�ll see the fuzzy choke inside.

Take a grapefruit spoon and remove the choke.

Here�s what it looks like when it�s fully trimmed. You have to work fast since as you can see, the artichoke starts to turn brown quickly. Don�t worry about that too much. Once you cook it, it won�t matter.

For risotto, I sliced the artichoke in thin pieces. In Italy you can buy really tender artichokes � so tender that slices like these are tossed with olive and vinegar and served raw in salads, with shaved parmesan cheese.

Put the sliced artichokes in a bowl of water that has half a lemon squeezed into it to help stop discoloration. These are now ready for your risotto recipe.

Oh yeah, what to do with all those leaves and bits you trimmed?

Put them in a pot of water and get them boiling while you prepare the beginning of the risotto recipe. You�ll use this broth in the risotto. It adds a lot of flavor, even though it will cook for only 20 minutes or so.

OK, now let�s get the risotto going. Start out by sauteeing the shallot and the garlic until limp. Drain the artichoke slices and add them to the vegetables, along with some white wine and a little chicken stock. You don�t really even need the chicken stock. I just happen to have a little left over from some soup made earlier in the week. Use water if you don�t have stock.  Keep the artichokes covered in liquid and in about 15-20 minutes they�ll be cooked through.

Now just follow the standard risotto technique. Add the rice and a little bit of the hot artichoke broth. Stir and let the liquid get absorbed before adding more ladles of broth. Keep doing that for about 20 minutes or until the risotto is cooked but not mushy.

I add the fresh herbs after turning off the heat, in order to retain maximum flavor and the bright green color.

Top with parmesan cheese and enjoy!

 

Artichoke Risotto

(enough for two to three people)

Printable recipe here

2 fresh artichokes, trimmed and sliced

1 shallot, minced finely

2 cloves crushed garlic

1 1/2 cup arborio rice

2 T. olive oil

1 T. butter

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth (I just happened to have this leftover from something else but you can use water if you don�t have it)

broth from artichoke leaves (about four or five cups)

minced fresh herbs (thyme, parsley is what I used)

salt, pepper to taste

1 T. butter

parmesan cheese

Trim the artichokes and put all the trimmings in a pot of water. Boil it on high heat for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, get the risotto going. Place the butter and olive oil in a pan and add the shallots and garlic. Cook until limp, then add the artichoke pieces, the white wine and chicken broth. Simmer over medium heat until artichoke pieces are almost cooked through � this will take about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the rice and keep adding some broth from the pot you�re cooking containing the discarded artichoke leaves and water. Continue adding this broth and stirring the risotto until the rice is cooked (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in the fresh herbs, the 1 T. butter and the parmesan cheese. Serve.

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