Baby Artichoke and Mushroom on Kaniwa – aka “Baby Quinoa”

Baby, baby, baby.The minute I find out that a grandbaby is coming my way, I’ll start Jittery Cook Junior, focusing on the healthiest, tastiest baby and kid-friendly food imaginable. Don’t hold your breath. Until then, you’ll just have to make do with adult fare. Baby Artichoke and Mushroom on Kaniwa – “Baby Quinoa” is not baby food. It calls for a rather sophisticated palate. This was my first attempt at cooking baby artichoke. There is a certain thrill that comes from firsts. Kaniwa was also a first. Doubly thrilling. Kaniwa is only called “baby quinoa” because it is also a super healthy gluten-free food, loaded with protein and fiber. Kaniwa is an ancient seed of the leafy goosefoot plant that cooks like quinoa. As it absorbs water, a tiny tail sprouts. Baby Artichoke and Mushroom on Kaniwa 

• 9 baby artichokes  
• 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/2 c dry white wine
• 1 c water
• 4 oz chanterelle mushrooms, stems discarded and caps roughly chopped
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 dry shallots, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 c parsley, finely chopped as garnish
• 1 c Kaniwa, cooked in 2 cups of water

Work with 1 artichoke at a time.  Remove the outer leaves, tearing them off until you are left with the more tender, half-pale green leaves. Cut off the top 3/4 inch tip, and peel and trim the stem. Quarter the artichoke, and scrape out the teeny-tiny choke.  Rub the exposed parts with the cut lemon, then place the artichokes in a bowl full of water, made acidic with the lemon, to keep their bright green colour. Watch this video on how to prepare baby artichokes. Using a large frying pan, heat a tablespoon of oil. Add the drained, dried artichokes to the pan and cook over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring until slightly brown. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the water, cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the artichokes are just tender, 12 minutes. Strain the artichokes and reserve the liquid to use along with water to cook the Kaniwa. One cup of Kaniwa cooks in 2 cups of liquid. In another large frying pan, heat a tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic and shallot. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. On a serving platter, lay the artichokes around the edge, place the Kaniwa in the center and top with the mushrooms. Garnish with parsley and serve. Serves 8.

Baby Artichoke and Mushroom on Kaniwa Print Ready Recipe Here’s a second Kaniwa recipe: Kaniwa Mango Mint Salad

• 1 c Kaniwa, cooked in 2 cups of water, chilled in the refrigerator
• 1 medium sized mango, finely chopped (second mango as garnish – optional)
• 1/2 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 c pomegranate seeds
• 1/2 c finely chopped mint
• 1/2 c finely chopped parsley
• 1 T olive oil
• 1T orange juice
• 1 T seasoned rice wine vinegar
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients and head right out to a pot luck party. I did and everyone enjoyed the refreshing combination. Serves 6-8.

Kaniwa Mango Mint Salad Print Ready Recipe

Final notes:

• This recipe was inspired by the baby artichokes found at Supermarket PA, the Kaniwa found at Les Douceurs du Marché, Atwater Market and Food and Wine‘s Baby Artichoke recipe.
• If your husband looks at this gourmet treat and says, “What’s for dinner?”, hop on over to Boustan’s (or dial-up for delivery) and pick up a couple of all dressed chicken Shawarma sandwiches. I like to substitute homos (their spelling) for the garlic mayonnaise. If you thought Boustan’s was good before, and it was, it’s even better now under new ownership. If you’re not in a rush, you’ll soon be able to order on-line.
• Anybody have a favorite baby artichoke recipe to share?
• This week I am celebrating 1 year of Jittery Cooking and 150 blog posts.

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• Cooking Baby Artichokes (donteatdirt.com)