To learn more about this recipe, read the related story, "Choke Hold".
Gluten-Free Tagliatelle with Braised Artichokes, Wild Mushrooms and Pickled Tomatoes
Recipe adapted from Noah Sandoval, Senza, Chicago
Yield: 4 servings
Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
Tomatoes
1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup white balsamic vinegar
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
Artichokes
6 artichokes
2 lemons, halved
3 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
½ fennel bulb--halved, cored and finely chopped
2 small dried bay leaves
1½ teaspoons dried red pepper flakes
1½ teaspoons whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Ice
Pasta
6 ounces gluten-free pasta (preferably tagliatelle or fettuccine)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup halved mushrooms (such as chanterelle, hedgehog or cremini)
¼ cup pitted and sliced green olives (preferably Manzanilla olives)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup baby arugula
½ cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Directions
1. Pickle the tomatoes: To a medium nonreactive bowl, add the cherry tomato halves. In a small saucepan set over high heat, add the vinegar, sugar and salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring, until the sugar and salt are dissolved, about 2 minutes. Pour the pickling liquid over the tomatoes and set aside to cool completely, at least 1 hour.
2. Trim the artichokes: Fill a large bowl with cold water. Squeeze the juice from 2 lemon halves into the water, then add the squeezed lemon halves. Slice off the stem of an artichoke. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the base until it's pale green and white in color. Halve each artichoke lengthwise, then use a teaspoon to scoop out the choke. Cut each piece of artichoke heart in half (so you have four quarters) and add the quarters to the lemon water. Repeat with the remaining artichokes.
3. To a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, add the chicken broth, olive oil, onion, fennel, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, peppercorns and salt. Add the trimmed artichokes (discard the lemon water) and reduce the heat to medium. After 20 minutes, squeeze the juice of the 2 remaining lemon halves into the pan. Cook the artichokes until a paring knife easily slips into the center of the largest one, about 20 minutes.
4. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the artichoke hearts to the ice water to chill, then transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
5. Make the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and the salt and cook the pasta, following the package instructions, until it is just shy of being al dente. Drain in a colander and set aside.
6. To a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, mushrooms, drained artichokes, olives and half of the pickled tomatoes. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the pasta, baby arugula, basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, stir to combine and serve. Calories per Serving: 290; Sodium: 800mg; Total Carbohydrate: 58g; Fiber: 7g; Protein: 6g; Fat: 4.5g