Smoked Cuttlefish & Smoked Artichokes!!!

[leah elisheva]

Happy Thursday Great Cookies!

I hope you're off being delicious somewhere!!!

Meanwhile, here was my dinner from today! Enjoy!

Cheers!!!!!! - Leah

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

Started with two artichokes... (yes, alas the season is coming)!!!

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

Cut the top off to make a flat edge...

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

Took scissors to each pointy/sharp leaf, to create a safe, and square, edge as well...

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

Sliced them in half...

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

Used a little knife to take out the purple leaves and prickly feathers, (the part that puts the "choke" into artichoke)...

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

Sprayed those with an olive oil spray can for cooking and also a squeezed fresh lime...

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

And smoked them for an hour, on my little gas smoker with pistachio shells used as chips and the heat at about 250...

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

Meanwhile, some plump and succulent cuttlefish got doused with grapeseed oil...

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

And the chokes came off..

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

The cuttlefish was on for 12 minutes (atop grill grates) and with heat turned back up during that time to about 380...

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

Squeezing fresh lime over it all once plating, and then dousing it with Tunisian olive oil, and adding chopped shallot, sliced tomato, fresh basil, pink Himalayan sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, it was delightful!

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

Oddly, the combo of GRAPESEED OIL, SQUEEZED LIME, OLIVE OIL & PINK SALT tasted SO MUCH like butter! I couldn't believe the likeness!

So if you want a healthful alternative to butter - whisk that combo up and see if I'm not far off??? It was AMAZING!!!

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

The stem and heart were best - and the leaves were good too - not as soft as when boiled and so I may try even LOWER heat and longer, as to get each leaf baby soft as well. But what a treat nonetheless! I scraped, made a mess - oil running down my chin - and loved every minute of it!

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

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• leah elisheva
• Apr 3, 2014

Thank you for sharing in my simple dinner! Happy Thursday indeed!!!

Cheers!!!!!!!! - Leah

 

[smoking b]

  It never fails - the good stuff is always so far away from me 

   Looks very appealing Leah 

 

[leah elisheva]

Hi Jeremy!!! And thank you so much!

Simple as they be, cuttlefish sure are good smoked!!!

Happy Thursday!!!!!!!!

Cheers!!! - Leah

 

[Bearcarver]

Awesome!!

You sure do make it look Fantastic!!!

Gotta be Mighty Tasty!!

Bear

 

[brooksy]

I have got to find a place with cuttlefish!! I am fond of calamari so I'm sure I would love cuttlefish also. Once again you're making me drool. Beautiful plate! Keep showing those awesome plating skills.

 

[bkleinsmid]

Top of the morning to you Leah.........well, in your case, afternoon. Your cuttlefish looks outstanding as always......good job. I have put chokes on the BBQ a few times but not the smoker......yet.

Brad

 

[disco]

Another fine meal, Leah. I hope you found the taste as good as the presentation is beautiful.

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I are going to Ireland soon. She is chomping at the bit for fresh seafood like this.

Disco

 

[leah elisheva]

Thank you Bear!!!!

This was a simple little meal but a good one!

I just think some simple things are really great, like SHAD ROE (which I have yet to try and so VERY MUCH desire to - thanks to you) which reminds me - was going to send a note - will it be showing up here in New England yet - now into April, or do you think I need to wait until May or June? You've change my life forever with that mere mention, and so I am stalking stores and hoping to find even a morsel!!!!

And Brooksy!!!  Thank you too! I love calamari also, and octopus and all cephalopods, and yet cuttlefish, when smoked, is really really the best! (Or so I think anyway).

Hey BRAD!!!! Thank you tons! Yes, I like them grilled and now smoked. So far better boiled, although I don't have any AMAZING PELLET action or cold smoking ability really, and so maybe I just haven't made the "perfect smoked artichoke" but you can teach me!!!

Meanwhile, I'm just still salivating about all your emu, wild boar, and fantastic steak reach out there - let alone the sunshine!!! Smiles.

Fantastic stuff!

Happy Thursday to all!!!!

Cheers!!! - Leah

 

[leah elisheva]

DISCO!!!!!!!!

I'm just seeing your note chirping in just now, after having posted to the others.

Your trip is so exciting!!!!

And thank you tons for your nice words!!!

I want a FULL food/libation report and hope you both will blog, post and report on every detail when you can!

Meanwhile, happy Thursday to you!!!!!!

Cheers!!!!! - Leah

 

[bkleinsmid]

Leah........order the AMAZING PELLET.......it lives up to it's name.Just think of all the cheese you could do.....especially in your weather..

Lets see......high of 66* with patchy blue skies........sorry...lol

Back in the day I lived about 50 min from Castroville.....choke capitol of the world. We would take the short trip down the coast, grab a bag of chokes, and head out to the beach for some surf fishing. Always looked for strippers but would take what we could get. Then to the parking area where I could back the camper up towards the shore.....fire up the Hibachi.......and get the steamer going for the chokes. Grilled fish....chokes.....good wine and watch the sun go down over the ocean. A real bummer........and having to listen to the surf all night.

Brad

 

[leah elisheva]

Hi Brad, that AMAZING PELLET smoker sounds fantastic!!!! (Your weather and stories always too).

But is it tricky to use? For a neophyte? I use such humble smoker/grill machines as it is.

I'd love to hear everyone's opinion on this cold smoking gem, as I'd love to try it but have feared it's just too complicated.

Thank you tons Brad (and anyone else) for input.

Cheers!! - Leah

 

[bkleinsmid]

It is harder to light your BBQ than use the amaz'n.......and you can put some of you nuts shells in with the pellets. I have used it in my Cookshack, Weber kettle, the little R2D2 and in my trailer smoker. Hot smoke.......cold smoke.....my go to smoking toy.

B~

 

[leah elisheva]

Well that sounds really good!

People RAVE about this pellet stuff, and yet I figured it was really complicated and just too much to do.

Thank you (Brad) for shedding some light on it all. I will at least go read again about it. I just figured it wasn't for light smokers like myself. I'll give it thought!!!

Thank you tons!!

Cheers!!!! - Leah

 

[bkleinsmid]

Look at the small tube smoker if the tray seems to big. Might fit better in your smoker anyway.  http://www.amazenproducts.com/

I like the Pitmasters Choice blend for my cheese and cold smoked salmon.

B~

 

[moikel]

Artichokes does that mean you finally got to spring.?
Great job combining them with cuttlefish. Do you get a variety of chokes?
Wild mushroom season here,fennel my favourite veg should start soon. Then of course it will be bottarga season come May.

 

[leah elisheva]

Thanks so much Brad! (For the link).

I'm still not sure I'd know how/what to do with the pellet machine but will give it my best attempt anyway if going with one, indeed!

I must admit, the results sound incredible!!

And Mick, thank you!! Can you believe it? The sun is out and artichokes are here too, and that's a sign for certain or I will take it anyway, and with gratitude beyond-beyond!

Your Bottarga season has me very excited!!! I'll live vicariously through any bite of yours even, as that's such a treat!!!

Happy Thursday to all!!!!!!!! It's SPRING!!! It's actually Spring! How beautiful!!!

Cheers!!!!! - Leah

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Thank you Bear!!!!

This was a simple little meal but a good one!

I just think some simple things are really great, like SHAD ROE (which I have yet to try and so VERY MUCH desire to - thanks to you) which reminds me - was going to send a note - will it be showing up here in New England yet - now into April, or do you think I need to wait until May or June? You've change my life forever with that mere mention, and so I am stalking stores and hoping to find even a morsel!!!!

Cheers!!! - Leah

Hi Leah!!

I just sent you an email with last years Delaware River netting report. You can tell pretty close to what this year will be like, and I explained my thoughts on NH supply.

Bear

 

[leah elisheva]

Bear! Thank you so much!! I just opened that note and it is FASCINATING! I will indeed ask our local fish guys and see if any comes in now! Thank you for this!!! You made it look so good and now I must try it when able! Good info!!!

Cheers!! - Leah