Raw Artichoke Salad

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Shannon Tarvin for sending this to us:

If restaurants functioned like Microsoft

Patron: Waiter!

Waiter: Hi, my name is Bill, and I'll be your Support.

Waiter. What seems to be the problem?

Patron: There's a fly in my soup!

Waiter: Try again, maybe the fly won't be there this time.

Patron: No, it's still there.

Waiter: Maybe it's the way you're using the soup. Try eating it with
a fork instead.

Patron: Even when I use the fork, the fly is still there.

Waiter: Maybe the soup is incompatible with the bowl. What kind of
bowl are you using?

Patron: A SOUP bowl!

Waiter: Hmmm, that should work. Maybe it's a configuration problem.
How was the bowl set up?

Patron: You brought it to me on a saucer. What has that to do with
the fly in my soup?!

Waiter: Can you remember everything you did before you noticed the fly
in your soup?

Patron: I sat down and ordered the Soup of the Day!

Waiter: Have you considered upgrading to the latest Soup of the Day?

Patron: You have more than one Soup of the Day each day??

Waiter: Yes, the Soup of the Day changes every hour.

Patron: Well, what is the Soup of the Day now?

Waiter: The current Soup of the Day is tomato.

Patron: Fine. Bring me the tomato soup and the check. I'm running
late now.

[waiter leaves and returns with another bowl of soup and the check]

Waiter: Here you are, Sir, the soup and your check.

Patron: This is potato soup.

Waiter: Yes, the tomato soup wasn't ready yet.

Patron: Well, I'm so hungry now, I'll eat anything.

[waiter leaves.]

Patron: Waiter! There's a gnat in my soup!

The check:

Soup of the Day . . . . . . . . . . . . .$5.00
Fly Feature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . no charge
Upgrade to newer Soup of the Day. . . .$2.50
Access to support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $1.00

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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Although the Greeks tend to eat more artichokes than the average
American, artichokes are readily available almost year-round in most
parts of the country. Use only the very smallest and youngest
artichokes for this unusual recipe.

Raw Artichoke Salad (Aginares Salata)

For the artichokes:
Juice of 2 lemons
4 cups (2 L) water
8-12 small artichokes, no larger than 2 inches
(5 cm) in diameter

For the dressing:
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbs (30 ml) lemon juice
1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh dill

Combine the lemon juice and water in a bowl and keep the artichokes in
it after you have prepared them. Remove and discard the hard outer
leaves of the artichokes and snap the remaining leaves off until you
have the yellow-green cone formed by the inner leaves. Trim the top
of the cone with a knife and quarter the artichokes. Scoop out and
discard the fuzzy choke in the center and keep the artichokes in the
acidulated water until ready to serve. Immediately before serving,
whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt, and
pepper. Drain the artichokes and toss them with the dressing.
Garnish with chopped dill. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Tue Aug 24 18:28:59 2004