Artichoke Caponata (Capunata 'i Cacuocciuli)
- 35-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, drained
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 6 ounce large green olives with pits (20)
- 3 lemons
- 2 pounds baby artichokes, about 2 1/2 by 1 1/2 inches (20)
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 celery ribs, halved crosswise
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
- 1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
- Crush tomatoes in a bowl with your hand.
- Cook garlic in oil in a 1 1/2-quart saucepan over low heat, turning occasionally, until pale golden, about 10 minutes.
- Discard garlic.
- Stir in tomatoes, sugar, basil, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer vigorously, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced to a thick pulp, about 20 minutes.
- Smash olives with a meat pounder or flat side of a large knife.
- Remove pits.
- Soak olives 30 minutes in cold water, changing water every 10 minutes.
- Drain.
- Juice 2 lemons into a large bowl half filled with cold water and add lemon halves.
- Working with 1 artichoke at a time and running knife through remaining lemon before each cut, trim about inch from tops and cut off stems.
- Pull off tough outer leaves and quarter artichokes lengthwise.
- Put them in lemon water as trimmed.
- Drain artichokes well and pat dry.
- Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over moderately high heat, then saute artichokes, stirring, 2 minutes.
- Add salt to taste and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- While artichokes cook, blanch celery in boiling water 2 minutes and transfer with tongs to a bowl of cold water to stop cooking.
- Thinly slice.
- Add celery, olives, and capers to artichokes.
- Cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot.
- Stir in vinegar and cook 1 minute.
- Add tomato sauce and salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer 5 minutes.
- Serve at room temperature with a few grindings of black pepper.
italian plum tomatoes, garlic, extravirgin olive oil, sugar, basil, green olives, lemons, baby artichokes, extravirgin olive oil, celery, capers, redwine vinegar
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/artichoke-caponata-em-capunata-i-cacuocciuli-em-103066 (may not work)