Category Archives: Vegetable

GRILLED ARTICHOKES WITH REMOULADE

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In March I attended oral argument in an appeal that I worked on for the better part of the past year (I think it was the last case the court heard in person before the pandemic). The argument was here in Houston, so I didn’t get to travel to some exotic corner of the Lone Star State, but going to the grand historic Harris County 1910 Courthouse for any reason is always awe-inspiring.

Historic Harris County 1910 Courthouse

If you’re gonna be important . . . 

The courthouse, “a six story structure of neo-classical design topped by a prominent clerestory drum and dome,” served as home to Houston’s district courts in the early part of my career, but underwent a 7-year restoration and was rededicated in 2011, and now houses both of Houston’s courts of appeals.  You can read about the restoration here. You won’t, but you could if you wanted to.  The courthouse is one of the most significant judicial buildings in Texas, and is stunning.

The interior is covered in bookmatched black-veined gray marble and is quite impressive:

Grand marble stairways

Bookmatched marble

But we weren’t there to dilly dally in the hallways.  Off to the courtroom where all the action was.

Where the grownups get to sit

The cousins table

The boss collecting his thoughts before argument

Oral argument was, um, interesting.  The court issued its opinion about 3 months later, and well, all I can say is win some, lose some, all in the same case.

I can’t really talk about the case (but believe me, I really really want to) because it is an ongoing matter, so instead I’ll leave you with a “Houston” recipe.  Well, sorta “Houston” — it’s from Houston’s, a chain restaurant here in Houston.  Founded in 1977 by the Hillstone Restaurant Group, it’s maintained its dark fern bar vibe and menu of retro “American classics” (prime rib, barbecue pork ribs, spinach and artichoke dip, French dip au jus, etc.) through the decades.  It’s a sentimental favorite of a lot of folks, and a popular place for date night.

One of our favorite things to order at Houston’s is Grilled California Artichokes with House-Made Remoulade:

When I ran across artichokes not long ago at the ridiculously low price of 2 for $1, I bought a huge bagful and took a crack at making Houston’s artichokes.

The recipe isn’t hard, but it does require some prep work,  These make a terrific appetizer.  Even though I can’t claim a complete victory in my case (how I wish I could tell you about it), I was definitely winning with these delicious grilled artichokes.  And here’s a pro tip for you:  stir some of the leftover remoulade into shrimp salad and win again.

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GRILLED ARTICHOKES WITH REMOULADE
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Ingredients
  • FOR THE ARTICHOKES
  • 4 large artichokes
  • 1 lemon, quartered
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • FOR THE REMOULADE
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons sweet relish
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon capers
  • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
  1. Trim the stems and tops of the artichokes, and cut in half lengthwise. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lemons, garlic, peppercorns, and artichokes. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes until stems are tender and leaves pull of easily. Drain well. When cool enough to handle, remove fuzzy choke from center with a spoon.
  2. Preheat grill. Brush cut side of artichokes with olive oil and place cut side down on grill. Grill for 5-10 minutes, until the edges are slightly charred..
  3. Prepare remoulade by placing all ingredients in a food processor (a mini chopper works well), and process until combined. Transfer to a small bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.
  4. Serve artichokes with remoulade. Provide lots of napkins and a bowl for discarded leaves.

 

To prep the artichokes, trim the stems, cut the artichokes in half lengthwise, and slice about 1/2″ off the top:

Tops trimmed and cut in half lengthwise

Boil them in a large pot of lightly salted water, with a lemon cut into quarters, a few garlic cloves, and a teaspoon of black peppercorns:

Simmer until tender with lemons, garlic, and black peppercorns

Simmer until the artichokes are gray-green and the stem can be pierced easily with the tip of a paring knife:

Gray-green and bottoms are tender

When the artichokes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the fuzzy choke with a spoon:

After I “choked” them

Heat the grill, brush the cut sides of the artichokes with olive oil, and grill for a few minutes until slightly charred around the edges:

Nice smoky char

Remoulade seals the deal

PRO TIP:  Stir a little leftover remoulade into shrimp salad (It also makes a tasty sandwich spread):

Winning

PICKLED CARROTS AND DAIKON RADISH

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Even before the work safe/stay at home order was issued, my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, Thien An, closed.  I held out hope that it would reopen, and happily, it did the first week in June.  But I sure missed the restaurant’s vermicelli bowls (and banh mi, and egg rolls, and pho) in the interim.  To satisfy my cravings, I tried my hand at making vermicelli bowls, and was happy to learn that it’s not difficult at all.  With temperatures rising, this is a cool, quick, and satisfying main course meal — think of it as a noodle salad — that we’ll be making frequently this summer.

A little advance planning makes this dish easy to pull together. To simplify things, I’m posting the recipe for the pickled vegetables today, the recipe for the “sauce” tomorrow, and directions for assembling the bowls the third day along with a great recipe for Vietnamese Grilled Pork.

Let’s get started!  Pickled Carrots and Daikon Radish add crunch and brightness against the blandness of the noodles.  They’re easy to make, and don’t require cooking. If you don’t have a julienne peeler, I recommend getting one.

Although the pickled carrots and daikon can be used an hour after you make them, they’re even better if you can make them a day in advance.  They’ll keep in the refrigerator about a week.

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PICKLED CARROTS AND DAIKON RADISH
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Ingredients
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and julienned
  • 1 pound daikon radish, peeled and julienned
  • 2 red chiles arbol (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons plus ½ cup sugar (divided use)
  • 1-1/4 cups distilled white vinegar
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
Instructions
  1. Place carrot and daikon in a medium bowl and sprinkle with salt and 2 teaspoons sugar. Massage the vegetables between your fingers for a few minutes until they have reduced in volume by about ¼th (this will release some of the water in them). Transfer to a colander, rinse under cold water, and press down on vegetables to release extra water. Pack the vegetables into a large glass jar. Tuck chiles into jar, if using,
  2. In a small bowl, combine ½ cup sugar, vinegar, and water, and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour over vegetables. Store in refrigerator (refrigerate at least one hour before using).