Braised Artichoke Pappardelle with Thyme

This recipe was inspired by Mark Bittman’s article in the New York Times, “Artichokes Take a Dip in a Pool of Stock”. Mark Bittman suggests browning artichokes in butter, then braising them in stock for twenty minutes. His method was straightforward and the results so tasty I decided to use it to make my own recipe. That’s what intuitive cooking is all about, peeps. In my “Braised Artichoke Pappardelle with Thyme”, the artichoke is the star. Homemade chicken broth adds soul. Garlic and earthy thyme are good friends of the artichoke, and their aroma envelopes the kitchen. Though there is some effort in preparing the artichokes, if you give yourself the time this recipe is uncomplicated and stress free. Open and bottle of wine, turn on the tunes, and peel some artichokes. Serves 4.

Ingredients

1 lemon, cut in half
2 pounds baby artichokes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cups homemade chicken stock**
8 ounces or half a pound of pappardelle pasta
Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Fill a large non-reactive bowl with cold water.  Squeeze the juice from the lemon halves and toss both the lemon and lemon juice into the cold water. This water will be used to keep the cut up artichokes so they don’t oxidize and turn brown. Prepare the artichokes by cutting off most of the stem and peeling off the tough outer leaves. Take a sharp paring knife and trim the base of the artichoke and the stem. Use a serrated knife to cut off the top part of the artichoke where the prickly ends are. Slice the artichoke in half vertically and use a teaspoon to scrape out the itty bitty fuzzy choke. Toss the artichoke halves into the bowl of acidulated water. Repeat with the rest of the artichokes.

Heat a heavy, non-reactive sautée pan or pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons butter. Once the butter melts and begins to foam, add the garlic. While the garlic cooks for about a minute, drain the artichokes and pat them dry. Place the artichoke halves in the hot garlic butter, cut side down. Leave them alone for a few minutes and allow them to brown. Once the artichokes are caramelized, add the thyme and chicken stock. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Bump up the heat to get the mixture to a simmer. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer the artichokes, turning once halfway through, for 20 minutes. They should be completely tender and delicious.

Cook the pappardelle pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water at the last minute. Once the pasta is al dente, drain and toss it directly in with the braised artichokes. Stir to combine, adding a tablespoon of butter to enrich the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with plenty of grated Parmesan.