TUNISIAN ARTICHOKE & ORANGE COMPOTE

By BobD

Ingredients

• 4-6 SERVINGS
• 1-1/2 lemons
• 4 large artichokes
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice, more to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 thin-skinned oranges, peeled and sectioned
• Pinch of ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon sugar, more to taste
• 4 sprigs fresh mint.

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Place about 4 cups of water and the juice of one lemon in a bowl.

To clean artichokes, cut stem as close to base as possible. Break off leaves as far as they will snap. Using a knife and a vegetable peeler, trim rough parts. Cut off thorny tips. Quarter artichokes, and remove hairy chokes with a melon baller or paring knife. Rub with lemon, and drop into bowl with water and lemon juice.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a flameproof earthenware or stainless shallow saucepan, add garlic, and saute gently for 1 minute.

Stir in orange juice, juice of remaining half lemon, salt and pepper. Stir with a wooden spoon.

Drain artichokes, and add to pan with 1/4 cup water.

Cover with crumbled wet parchment paper and a tight-fitting lid, and set over lowest heat to cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender, turning artichokes once.

Meanwhile, combine orange sections, coriander and sugar in an eight-inch skillet, adding up to 3 tablespoons orange juice depending on juiciness of oranges.

Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until reduced and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Taste, and add extra sugar if still bitter.

With a slotted spoon, transfer glazed orange sections to a serving dish.

Add artichokes to syrupy juices in skillet, and cook until glazed. Transfer artichokes to serving dish.

Add artichoke cooking juices to skillet.

Reduce quickly to a few tablespoons, correct seasoning with salt, pepper, a few drops of lemon juice and a drizzle of fresh oil, and pour over artichokes and oranges. Cool.

Just before serving, scatter mint sprigs on top.