Braised Artichokes with Tomatoes and Thyme Recipe

Preparation: Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a large bowl of cold water. Add the lemon halves to the bowl. Work with just one artichoke at a time and dip it into the water bath if it starts to discolor as you proceed. To begin actual preparation, bend back and snap off the tough outer leaves on the artichoke. Remove several layers until you reach leaves that are mostly pale green or yellow except for the tips. Cut off the pointed leaf tops that are dark green. (Trim about 1 inch from a medium artichoke.) Trim the base of the stem and use a vegetable peeler to remove the dark green outside layer of skin from the stem. Use a knife or the vegetable peeler to remove any dark green leaf bases that may still encircle the top of the stem. The next step is to quarter the artichoke lengthwise, leaving part of the stem attached to each piece. Beginning at the stem end of each quarter, slide a small, sharp knife under the fuzzy choke and cut toward the leaf tips. Discard the choke. Cut the cleaned artichoke quarters into 1/4-inch-thick wedges. Drop the wedges into the bowl with the acidulated water. Once one artichoke has been completely trimmed, repeat the procedure with the next artichoke. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan with a cover. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Drain the artichokes and add them to the pan along with the thyme , salt, pepper, and 1 cup water. Simmer briskly until most of the water in the pan has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and add them to the pan along with all of their packing juice. Cover the pan and simmer gently, occasionally using a spoon to break apart the tomatoes, until the sauce thickens and the artichokes soften completely, about 35 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust seasonings if necessary. While preparing the sauce, bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Cook and drain the pasta. Toss the hot pasta with the artichoke sauce. Mix well and transfer portions to warm pasta bowls. Serve immediately with grated Parmesan cheese passed separately. Yield: 4 servings Recipe Source: Pasta é Verdura by Jack Bishop (HarperCollins) Reprinted with permission.