Artichoke Season!

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Artichokes (carciofi) are a member of the thistle family and were developed into an edible food in Italy, rather than being imported from another region.

Italy is the largest producer and consumer of artichokes, growing hundreds of different varieties. Probably the most notable variety (nearly impossible to find in the U.S.), is the Roman Violet artichoke. In the spring, the artichokes are trimmed and bathed in olive oil and roasted in the dry wood pruned from grapevines. Other popular preparations include carciofi a spicchi (sliced and braised in olive oil, garlic and parsley) and vignarola (green onions, artichokes, fava beans, peas and beet greens).

The bulk of fresh artichokes in the U.S. come from farms around Castroville and Watsonville, California. While artichokes are available all year long, the main harvest season in Italy and in the U.S. is March through May.

Vegetable vendors in large markets throughout Italy perform springtime artichoke-cleaning demonstrations, showing how to use a sharp, slim paring knife to trim the leaves, rub the exposed parts with lemon, and drop the finished choke into a barrel of acidulated water.

Since you aren’t located near a large Italian market, probably the best source of paring techniques are Marcella Hazan’s excellent book Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking (Alfred A. Knopf, 1993). There are illustrations in that book showing how to pare and core an artichoke for steaming, or stuffing and baking.

For wine lovers, pairing a wine with artichokes is difficult due to the tannins and cynarin in the vegetables. Big, red wines with tannins are a poor choice. White wines with low acid, such as Verdicchio, Orvieto, Sauvignon Blanc or a rosé are better choices.

“With artichokes being one of the big staples of Rome, it's no surprise that M’tucci’s Bar Roma goes through more artichokes than any other M’tucci’s location. Lucky for us the artichokes we get from Sogno Toscana (one of the premier exporters in Italy) are beautiful, taste amazing and are consistent year round,” said Company Chef Shawn Cronin.

”We use them a number of ways from Bar Roma making a bisque or having them as an appetizer with saffron braised leeks, to Italian battering and frying them on their bar menu. Since artichokes are used a lot in Mediterranean cuisine, it just made sense for all of our locations to feature these artichokes next to our fresh fish specials every weekend,” he said.

Artichokes & leeks - Black truffle artichoke bisque at m’tucci’s bar roma

Enjoy the different artichoke preparations at all M’tucci’s. If you are going to buy fresh from the market and prepare them at home, the book “Red, White & Greens” by Faith Willinger has some terrific artichoke recipes.

Raising Money for Animal Humane New Mexico

at M’tucci’s Bar Roma

10% of all Sales Will be Donated

Dogs will be available for Adoption!!

Sunday, April 21, 10:30 - 4:00

Sunday, April 21 - 10:30 - 4:00

Arcy Law on New Mexico Living talks about the Peru Trip

Weekend Specials

M’tucci’s Italian

Ravioli - 5 Cheese Filling - Roasted Chicken, Cherry Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Pesto Cream Sauce, Pecorino, Crispy Prosciutto $25

24 oz. Porterhouse - Salt Water Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Grilled Lemon, Balsamic Reduction $43

Pan-Seared White Sea Bass - Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Arugula, Grilled Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $35

NM Red Chile Braised Sackett Farms Pork Shank - Creamy Gorgonzola Polenta, Suatéed Broccolini, Corn Shoots $27

Weekend Cocktail

La Paloma - Mi Campo Tequila, Lime Juice & Grapefruit Juice, Simple Syrup


M’tucci’s Moderno

6 oz. Black Angus Filet - Crispy Salt Water Potatoes, Sautéed Broccolini, Italian Salsa Verde $35

Pan-Seared Bronzino - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sautéed Broccolini, Roasted Artichoke, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce, Prosciutto Powder $33

Shrimp Diavolo - Pink Patagonia Shrimp, Caramelized Onion, Red Pepper Flakes, Green chile, Garlic, White Wine, Marinara Suace, House Made Spaghettini $25

Weekend Cocktail

Aged Affair Negroni - Plymouth Gin, Campari, Carpano Antica Vermouth, Meletti Amaro mixed and Barrel-Aged for one Month, Angostura Bitters

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five

Strawberry Pork Tenderloin - Grilled Sackett Farms Pork Tenderloin, Fresh Shrub-Marinated Strawberries, Strawberry Reduction, Crispy Saltwater Potatoes, with Arugula, Wine-Braised Fennel, Citrus Vinaigrette$23 $27

Pan-Seared Swordfish - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Braised Greens, Artichoke Hearts, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $36

24 oz. Porterhouse - Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Charred Broccolini, Creamy Horseradish Remoulade $43

Ciccheti Special

Smoked Mozzarella & Hummus - Hummus, Smoked House Made Mozzarella, Herbed Pecorino Flatbread Chips, Citrus Roasted Olives and Garlic, Cipollini Onions, Roasted Artichokes and Bell Peppers $11

Weekend Cocktail

Caffe Negroni - Beefeater Gin, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth, Nectar Pedro Ximénez Sherry, Coffee-Infused Pilla Select

M’tucci’s Bar Roma

8 oz. Wagyu Flank Steak - Seasonal Veggies, Mashed Potatoes, Mushroom Béchamel $37

Pan-Seared Bronzino - Garlic Whipped Mashed Potatoes, Braised Arugula with Garlic, Seared Stem-on Artichokes, Lemon Caper Butter Sauce $33

Weekend Cocktail

Agua de Aguia - Fernet Branca, Novo Fogo Cachaca, Carpano Sweet Vermouth, Simple Syrup

Live Music for April

M’tucci’s Bar Roma - 6:30pm Wednesday & Noon Sunday    

4/14 Lani Nash

4/17 Gilbert Uribe

4/21 RJ Perez 

4/24 Shane Wallin

4/28 Chris Dracup

M’tucci’s Moderno - 6:30 Thursday & 7:30 Friday  

4/12 Lani Nash

4/18 Cali Shaw 

4/19 Shane Wallin

4/25 Lani Nash

4/26 RJ Perez 

M’tucci’s Twenty-Five - 6:30 Thursday & 7:30 Friday     

4/12 RJ Perez 

4/18 Javier Ortega 

4/19 Myles Chavez

4/25 Johnny Lloyd 

4/26 Gilbert Uribe 

Thanks for reading. See you next Friday. Ciao!