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MY CONCEPT for this week is to provide you with a plethora of dipping sauces to see you through the Springtime flush of artichoke season. Prices seem to be settling in pretty good at this moment. Who knows how long that will last?

As I said in this week’s Fresh Approach and Food For Thought columns, make sure to choose fresh artichokes. To know if they’re fresh, give each one a gentle squeeze. If you hear a delicate little "squeak!" then you’ve got a fresh one!

COBBLED CRAB DRESSING

Makes about 1-2/3 cups.

This is a somewhat rich accessory to cold artichokes. But very delicious.

1 cup good quality mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup cooked Dungeness crabmeat

1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon minced shallots

1 teaspoon lime juice

Dash of hot pepper sauce ( like Tabasco)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Whisk together the mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir in the crab, dill, shallots, lime juice, hot pepper sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Chill thoroughly before serving.

Adapted from "Greene on Greens," by Bert Greene.

FAIL-SAFE HOLLANDAISE FOR ARTICHOKES

Makes about 1/2 cups.

This is a great dip for artichokes. The trick that makes this elegant and flavorful sauce relatively food-proof is the increment of frozen butter, added bit by bit. Hollandaise will keep in a double boiler half filled with warm (not boiling) water for about half an hour prior to serving.

3 egg yolks

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces then frozen

Dash of hot pepper sauce

Pinch of ground white pepper

Salt

Vigorously whisk together the egg yolks with the lemon juice in the top of a double boiler. Place the beaten mixture over simmering water; stir in the mustard. Whisk the butter into the egg yolk mixture, one piece at a time. Stir well after each addition. Stir in the hot pepper sauce, white pepper, and salt to taste.

JAN’S REMOULADE SAUCE

Makes about 1-1/4 cups.

This is one of my favorite sauces to serve at my fun make-your-own shrimp cocktail bar, as described above.

1/4 cup finely chopped celery, divided

1/4 cup finely chopped green onions, divided

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley, divided

2 tablespoons canned pimiento, drained

3 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish (not creamed)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

Place 2 tablespoons each of the chopped celery, green onion and parsley in a blender or food processor, along with the drained pimientos, mustard, vinegar, and horseradish. Blend to a paste, then scrape out the mixture and whisk into the mayonnaise, along with the reserved celery, green onions, parsley, and the paprika, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour for flavors to develop. Adjust seasoning before serving. The sauce will keep for 3 to 4 weeks or longer (refrigerate).

DARCI’S WONDERFUL BASIL DRESSING

Yields scant 1 cup dressing.

This wonderful dressing is part of Sacramento-based caterer, Darci Gilbert's delectable repertoire. I enjoyed it at her sister-in-law Yvonne's luncheon one spring in Corvallis. Yvonne had arranged individual servings of butter lettuce, garnished with slivers of Swiss cheese, tender asparagus spears, and juicy chunks of tomato.

But of course, it’s also great with artichokes!

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 to 5 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup safflower oil (or other vegetable oil, such as canola)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Place the vinegars, basil, sugar, garlic, oil, salt and pepper in a blender. Mix in short bursts to combine without chopping the basil too fine ("You want little pieces of basil," says Darci.).

CREAMY PARMESAN & PEPPERCORN DRESSING

Makes about 1-1/2 cups.

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar, or to taste

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, or to taste

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salt to taste

Whisk together the mayonnaise, Parmesan, buttermilk, sour cream, vinegar, Dijon mustard, and black pepper. Taste for seasoning, adding salt if necessary, along with additional mustard, pepper, or vinegar, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop and meld.

BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE

Makes 2 cups

This dressing is based on one of Gathering Together Farm’s vinaigrettes.

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon soy sauce or Kikkoman Tempura sauce (the tempura sauce is not easy to find, but it is available)

1/2 teaspoon black bean garlic sauce (available in the Asian food section of most supermarkets)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Combine vinegars, honey, mustard, tempura sauce, black bean sauce, salt and pepper. Add olive oil. Adjust seasonings. .

STEVE’S BLUE CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

Makes about 2-1/2 cups dressing.

The recipe was inspired by the House Dressing at Burton's in downtown Corvallis. They never gave him their recipe (he never had the temerity to ask), but he just kept tasting and testing in our kitchen until he believed he achieved success. It’s truly wonderful with artichokes.

1 cup diced (1/4-inch cubes) red onion

4 to 6 ounces (or more!) of your favorite blue cheese (Steve prefers Treasure Cave), more as needed

About 2/3 cup red wine vinegar, more as needed

About 1/3 cup vegetable oil (such as corn or canola), more as needed

About 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the onions in a bowl. Crumble in about 4 ounces of the blue cheese, then gently stir in the vinegar and vegetable oil. At this point, you may have to add additional oil, vinegar, or blue cheese to reach a consistency that hovers between a vinaigrette and a creamy dressing. Steve prefers a higher ratio of blue cheese, so he inevitably adds more at this point (which usually translates into another trip to the store), whereas I prefer it to have more vinegary.

Now add the pepper. It may seem like a lot, but it really is delicious. The dressing should be prepared the night before serving, so the onions have a chance to marinate. It will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks - as long as Steve doesn't live nearby.

MARYANNA’S BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

Makes about 1-2/3 cups.

This is a wonderful blue cheese dressing, compliments of Eugene-based cookbook author, Maryanna Vollstedt. It’s a much creamier style than Steve’s Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon dried mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

In small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, sour cream, and vinegar. Add the mustard, salt, and pepper and whisk again. Stir in the blue cheese. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to develop and meld.