Stuffed Artichoke side dish

 So you're having friends over for a dinner party. Everyone is expecting your usual dishes... pasta, chicken, green beans, rice... sound familiar? Well go ahead and make your usual meal, but how about sprucing it up a little?

What you'll need:
- 1 artichoke per person (the whole choke!)
- Panko bread crumbs (or any PLAIN bread crumb- NO SEASONED CRUMB PACKETS! That's cheating :-P)
- 4 whole lemons
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh flat leaf parsley
- Gorgonzola cheese (about 2oz per choke)
- S&P
- 1tbs heavy cream
- 1-2 cloves minced garlic
- Olive oil

What to do:

In a very large pot, fill 3/4 with water and salt. While water is boiling, trim the chokes. Cut off stem as close to base as possible, so choke can stand level on a plate; trim any pointy leaves left on choke with kitchen utility scissors. . Cut approximately 1 inch off the top, so the heart of the choke is exposed. Cut lemons in half. Add chokes to boiling water, squeeze lemon into water and add leftover lemon rinds to water. Allow to boil approximately 25 minutes, or until softened (I suggest between 25-30 minutes).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In the meantime, add Gorgonzola cheese, cream, 1tbs finely chopped thyme, garlic, a pinch of Kosher salt and black pepper. Mix together in a kitchen bowl and place in fridge until you're ready for the next step! In a separate bowl, gently mix 1/4c panko with 1tbs roughly chopped parsley, a pinch of finely chopped thyme, and a small pinch of both salt and pepper. For an extra kick, try adding just a little chili pepper to the bread crumbs.

Once chokes are done, remove from water and allow to cool. I suggest turning them upside down to make sure all the water gets out. Once these are cooled off, take a small spoon and remove the inner choke heart (usually a pinkish area). Don't remove too much, though! Fill empty cavity with cheese mixture, generously sprinkle with panko, lightly drizzle with OO, place on a sheet tray and place in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven after 25 minutes, or when panko is nice and golden.

That's it! It's a gorgeous little side dish, and something that will certainly impress your friends. For those who want something a little more substantial out of this side dish, keep the choke hearts you removed, roughly chop, and add to the cheese mixture with a couple teaspoons of breadcrumb.

My first blog

Greetings friends!

Tonight, I post my first blog here! My intentions for this blog are to help YOU become a better cook. With my instructions, knowledge, and experience (though I've little experience compared to celebrity chefs), I vow to assist you in becoming a better home cook and to wow your friends at the next dinner party you throw.

My first recipe is a simple one, one which I learned in school from a chef I came to understand and respect over time.

What you will need are the following:

- One skinless, boneless chicken breast per person you are cooking for
- 2 cloves of minced garlic per person (3 cloves per person if you want a more garlic-flavored sauce)
- A pint of heavy cream/whipping cream per 4 people (1/2 pint for 2 people, 1/4 pint for 1 person, one quart for 8, etc)
- Olive oil (NOT EXTRA VIRGIN)
- White wine (sav. blanc is wonderful, or any white cooking wine will do)
- Kosher salt and ground white pepper (though ground black pepper is fine as well)


1.) Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

2.) Lightly season the chicken with salt and pepper. Rub the salt and pepper into the chicken as if you were massaging it.

3.) Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to a saute pan and heat on high.

4.) Add chicken breast to pan once hot and saute until golden brown on both sides.

5.) Place chicken on baking sheet and place in heated oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until chicken reaches 135 degrees and/or until chicken is fairly firm when pressed upon.

6.) While chicken is in the oven, and using the pan you sauteed the chicken in, add minced garlic until in browns (careful not to burn it!)

7.) Once garlic is browned, add 1/4 cup white wine to deglaze pan. Cook until au sec (almost dry)(cook until there is very little liquid left)

8.) add enough cream to cover the garlic. Let sit over medium heat, stirring sparsely, until cream forms thick bubbles. At this point, you may take off heat, or stir in one 1oz tab of butter to thicken and enrich the sauce. Season sauce with pinch of salt and pepper

9.) Once chicken is cooked, place on plate and drizzle sauce over end portion of the breast (the smaller side). Garnish with parsley sprig if so desired.

This dish is wonderful with shallot sauteed green beans or garlic sauteed broccoli florets and lemon scented rice pilaf :)

Bon appetit!