Pasta with artichoke pesto.
Pesto is a type of sauce with basil, olive oil, pine nuts, and garlic as the main ingredients. The artichoke is a bushy flower similar to a thistle, cooked and consumed as a vegetable. Artichoke pesto is a combination of these two culinary delights. Artichoke hearts are added to the ingredients of a basic pesto sauce to create a versatile paste similar in consistency to hot sauce.
Some chefs find that toasted walnuts best complement the flavor of artichoke pesto.
Artichokes, although considered by many to be vegetables, are actually flowers. The artichoke is actually the closed flower bud and consists of layered, thick green petals, each with a thorn at the tip. The base of each petal has a small edible portion, but the true jewel of the artichoke is the heart. The heart is the base to which all the petals are attached and has a rich, buttery flavor. It is the artichoke heart that is used to make the artichoke pesto.
The tastiest artichoke hearts to make this type of pesto are the fresh ones. To prepare a fresh artichoke heart to include in a pesto, the petals of the artichoke must be removed until all that remains is the circular center, also known as the heart. The heart has tiny hairs that cover its center and must be removed. A stem is also attached to the heart, and many people will tear off the outer layer of the stem and use it in pesto.
If fresh artichoke hearts are used, they are often steamed to make pesto. Artichoke hearts are also available canned and frozen. Many people use canned or frozen varieties to make this pesto, thus avoiding the hassle of cleaning and cooking the artichoke hearts. Whatever type of artichoke hearts are used, they are usually chopped up before being added to the pesto. Some chefs chop them very finely, while others prefer a more robust texture.
Simple pesto is usually thin and is used primarily as a sauce for pasta dishes. When artichoke is added to pesto, it becomes much thicker. As a result, artichoke pesto is not often used as a pasta sauce. Instead, it is used as a spread and can be served as bruschetta on crackers, toast, or bread. It can also be used as a condiment to flavor other foods such as shrimp or pork chops.
While the main ingredients of artichoke pesto are the same as basic pesto, with the addition of artichoke hearts, some people prefer to add a little lemon juice or lemon zest to the mix. Many believe that the lemon accentuates the flavor of the artichoke while giving the artichoke pesto a light citrus flavor. Also, while pine nuts make up the main ingredient in the basic pesto sauce, some chefs find that toasted walnuts complement the flavor of artichoke pesto better than pine nuts. There are many variations and uses for artichoke pesto, and which one is best is a matter of individual taste.