Pantry No. 7

Fresh artichokes are mysterious creatures poking their heads out of grocery store produce aisles, with spirals of desert green spiny leaves on a cactus like stem.  They are a far departure from jarred marinated artichoke hearts in both flavor and appearance, and dare I say, SO much better. Their appearance is daunting, but conceals the most amazing tender leaves with a mild flavor that’s somewhere between asparagus and Jerusalem artichoke.

I am obsessed with grilled artichokes.  I love the lightly charred, smoky, garlicky, lemony flavor.  I relish peeling off each leaf, dipping it in a rich savory garlic aioli, and scraping off the tender flesh slowly with my teeth.  When you get to the middle, you get to eat a big bite full of the tender artichoke heart, slathered with aioli of course.  I could sit there eating this for an hour, sipping on a nice chilled glass of Sancerre.

Servings: 4-8 appetizers | Cook & prep time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Grilled Artichokes

• 2 large artichokes
• 4-6 cloves garlic, depending on your preference
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 lemon
• Salt & pepper

Easy Garlic Aioli

• 2/3 cup store-bought mayo (full fat is best)
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• Salt & pepper

Directions

Grilled Artichokes

Trim artichokes (see step-by-step photos here).  Submerge in a large pot with water, and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Check after 15 minutes for doneness by piercing the heart of the artichoke with a sharp knife.  The knife should go through easily, but the flesh should not be mushy (that means it’s overcooked). Drain and set aside.

While the artichoke is simmering, mix olive oil, minced garlic, squeezed lemon juice, and season with salt & pepper to taste.

When artichoke has cooled slightly, drizzle the marinade liberally over the insides of the artichokes, making sure to get the garlic in between the leaves.  Coat outside of artichokes lightly with remaining marinade.

Heat an outdoor grill to medium-high.  Grill the artichokes face down for 5-8 minutes, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  The marinade may cause the flames to flare up a bit, but that’s ok, it gives them more flavor and char.  The cooking time varies depending on how hot your barbeque is.

Remove from grill and serve hot with a bowl of garlic aioli.  Serve with an empty bowl on the side for the discarded leaves.

Easy Garlic Aioli

Mix minced garlic & mayo.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.  I like to make this in the morning so the flavors can blend in the fridge for a few hours, and get super garlicky.  If there’s any leftover marinade from the artichokes, I like to mix that in at the end to make the dip more runny and a little lemony.

Written and photographed by Tracy Chow & Jennifer Yu