Smoked Artichokes and Jalapeno Dubliner Cheddar Cheese Sauce

or
The Bigger the Artichoke the more the Smoke

The local thriftway had a sale on these HUMUNGUS artichokes. Two bucks a piece. If you look at the photo you can see that the grapefruit next to the artichoke looks like lemon sized. The artichoke was nearly as large as my head. To be honest, its size was a little obscene.

We brought a couple home and Erik put them on the stove to steam. Then we did some gardening.

At a certain point I asked him if he smelled smoke.

Indeed.

The Le Creuset pot is nearly destroyed, there are element marks melted into its bottom a lesser pan would have imploded. The artichokes were topped with black char that flaked lightly as smoke wisped from their core.

One of my main complaints about artichokes is the fact that you really have to strain the mothers. Each leaf acts like a cup for the water. With Erik’s method, one really doesn’t have to worry about it– the water has been burned right out. The cost of a smoked artichoke is prohibitive. They may have been two dollars a piece but the loss of a $200.00 Le Creuset is pretty expensive.

This is how they tasted: GOOD! Smoked artichokes are great. I’m thinking of trying to barbecue them.
Serve burned things with fat and spice and you really have a good thing going.

Jalapeno Dubliner Cheddar Cheese Sauce Cheese Sauce
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (we used Dubliner because we have a ton of it at the moment)
1 minced jalapeno
1 tsp cornstarch
Cheap and Cheerful wine

Toss the cheddar and the cornstarch.
Melt on medium heat in a non blackened Le Creuset pot.
Add Jalapeno.
Add wine to get everything loosened up.

Serve with smoked artichoke wash down.