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.