Artichokes in Hot Crab Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 medium California artichokes
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1/8 teaspoon tarragon leaves, crushed
• Dash white pepper
• 2 pkgs (6 oz ea) frozen crab meat, thawed, drained
• 1/2 cup diced water chestnuts

Preparation:

Wash artichokes under cold, running water. Cut off stem at base and remove small bottom leaves. Stand artichokes upright in deep saucepan large enough to hold snugly. Add 1 teaspoon salt and two to three inches boiling water. (Lemon juice, herbs, garlic powder or onion powder may be added, if desired.) Cover and boil gently 35 to 45 minutes or until base can be pierced easily with a fork. (Add a little more boiling water, if needed.) Turn artichokes upside down to drain. Keep warm.

In large skillet, melt butter. Add green onion; sauti until tender about 2 minutes. Stir in soup, sour cream, sherry, tarragon and white pepper. Cook stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Remove 1 cup mixture as sauce for dipping leaves; keep warm.

Stir crab and water chestnuts into remaining mixture in skillet and cook until heated through. Spoon into prepared artichokes. Makes 4 servings.