Valentine's Day & Artichoke Hearts

     This Thursday, we will have the onsalught of candy & flowers, jewelry & cards as Valentine's Day lays siege upon the hearts of many a souls.  Regardless of how one may feel about it, this day is one for those in love to express their feelings towards the people they care about the most.

     So, in honor of the upcoming holiday and for those of you wanting to flex your culinary muscle and make a romantic meal for your loved one(s), I bring you a favorite side dish of mine.  Fried artichoke hearts!

     Why fried artichoke hearts?  Well, to start, because fried foods are delicious and if done right, aren't as bad as you might think.  As far as the artichoke hearts go, not only are they delicious but they are actually a very good food for a romantic meal between two lovers.  Legend has it that they are a wonderful aphrodisiac (what isn't, haha) with a history dating back to Catherine de Medici & Henry II back in the mid-16th century.  But now on to the recipe!

Fried Artichoke Hearts

by

The Pirate Chef

Ingredients:

1 can of halved artichoke hearts (not marinated)

2 Eggs

Milk

Italian breadcrumbs
Oil for pan frying (I like to use a 50/50 blend of vegetable & olive oil

Directions:
1) Open can of artichoke hearts and drain well
2) Whisk together eggs & an equal amount of milk, making an egg wash
3) Fully coat each artichoke hearts in the egg wash
4) Toss artichoke hearts in Italian bread crumbs, making sure they are fully covered
5) In a large saute pan, pour in enough oil to come up about 1/4 up the side of the pan and heat over medium heat (temperatures may vary so you may need to go lower or higher depending on your stove, don't be afraid to lower the temp if you experience too much splattering)
6) Once the oil is hot, carefully place breaded artichoke hearts into the oil, do not crowd the pan
7) Turn the artichoke hearts over at least once during cooking to make sure of even cooking
8) Once both sides are golden brown, transfer to a paper towel and let sit while cooking the rest of the artichoke hearts so the excess oil is absorbed by the paper towels
9) Enjoy!


*Hint* One of my favorite tools for frying is a cooking spider, allows you to carefully pick up any fried food and drain off some of the oil.  The Chinese have been using them centuries and so do many chefs.