Saturday, May 14, 2011

Grilled Artichokes

A few people have asked for this recipe, and I thought I would put it here.


Having grown up in California , where most artichokes are grown, I’ve been eating them all my life.  Having recently left California , I am astounded at how many people are intimidated by artichokes! 

 
Preparation is not hard, and good prep makes for a more edible result! Artichokes can be cut, steamed and marinated several hours before you are ready to grill.
 

 
Ingredients
  • 4 artichokes – find the ones that are heaviest for their size. This means they’ve retained plenty of moisture in their trip from CA to your state!
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • Juice and zest of 2 lemons
  • 2T salt
  • 1t ground pepper
  • 1/4c chopped herbs of choice

 
Preparation 
  • Have ready a large pot with an inch or so of well-salted water. Put your lemon discards into this to acidulate the water which will keep the cut parts of your artichokes from turning brown as you work. 
  • Strip off 2-3 layers of outer leaves 
  • Using a sharp knife, slice of 1 inch of the top, and trim the end of the stem 
  • Using kitchen shears, snip any prickly tips that remain on lower leaves 
  • Slice the artichoke in ½ lengthwise 
  • Using a basic kitchen teaspoon or melon baller, scoop out the “choke” or the fuzzy stuff in the middle. 
  • Drop both halves into the water, making sure that the cut surfaces are well coated w/ the water to prevent browning while you prep the remaining artichokes.

 To cook: 
  • Cover the pot and place on stove and bring to a simmer. 
  • Simmer artichokes until they are barely fork tender at the stem – about 15 minutes, depending on size and freshness. Check frequently! 
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool. 

 To marinate: 
  • Place remaining ingredients (oil, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper & herbs) in a zip top bag and mix well. 
  • Add artichokes to bag, turning to make sure well coated. 
  • Marinate for 1 hour or all day. 

  
To grill: 
  • Handle artichokes carefully at this point. Since they are nearly completely cooked, they will be fragile. 
  • Using tongs, place artichokes on a medium-high grill with the cut side facing up. 
  • If there is any marinade left, spoon or drizzle this into the cavity of the artichoke. 
  • Cook for approximately 5 minutes or until char marks appear on the leaves. 
  • Carefully turn over (watch out! The excess marinade may cause flare up!), and grill on cut side for another 5 minutes.

 Serve immediately or at room temperature. Prepared like this, they generally need no dipping sauce.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to give these a try! My dad grew artichokes in our back yard in Fremont and we ate so many of them, that I had to give them a break for a few years after moving out. But now? Love, love, love 'em again!