Grilled artichokes are a great appetizer for just about any meal. Serve them with melted butter, aioli or a rémoulade and you’ve got a simple and delicious finger food.
I love artichokes! Artichoke hearts, artichoke dip, and of course artichoke leaves dipped in any savory sauce. As a kid, I loved when my mom would make steamed artichokes and always thought they were a treat.
They are not terribly difficult to make, you just need to get through the prep part which is the biggest hurdle. Before you start prepping your artichokes, make sure you have some lemon wedges available. The chokes will brown quite quickly, so lemon juice is your savior. Once ready, trim the artichoke leaves with kitchen sheers to remove any spiky ends. Then cut about a 1/2 inch off the top (rub with lemon). Using a vegetable peeler, peel the stem to remove the hard outside and then rub with lemon. Halve the artichokes, and with a spoon, scoop out the fuzzy chokes and the small inner leaves. Rub the whole artichoke with additional lemon.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and then add a couple garlic cloves, two bay leaves and the used lemon wedges. Steam your artichokes for 20 minutes until the outer leaves are easy to remove. While the artichokes are steaming, you can add some fresh herbs to a little olive oil and zap them in the microwave for about 30 seconds. This will allow the oil to infuse with the herbs, giving it extra flavor.
As a final step, brush the entire artichoke with oil, and grill them face side down for just a few minutes to give them a good char. Serve the grilled artichokes with melted butter, aioli, rémoulade or your favorite dressing. Cut a few lemon wedges and serve alongside the artichoke to bring out the flavors.
Grilled Artichokes
Ingredients
- 2-4 artichokes
- 2 lemons cut into wedges
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh herbs such as rosemary & thyme
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
- Snip the pointy ends of the artichoke leaves and rub the ends with lemon juice. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the hard outer edge of the stem and rub with lemon juice. Cut a 1/2 inch off the top of the artichoke and then cut the whole artchoke in half. With a spoon, scoop out the fuzzy choke and any of the smaller leaves from the center. Rub lemon juice all over to prevent browning. Reserve the used lemon wedges.
- To a pot of boiling water, add garlic cloves, bay leaves and your used lemon wedges. Reduce water to a medium boil and then steam the artichokes, face side down, for 20 minutes.
- While the artichokes are steaming. Chop some fresh herbs and mix with olive oil. Microwave for 30 seconds and let steep.
- Once the artichokes have finished steaming, brush the entire surface with the infused oil, sprinkle a little salt on the artichokes and grill over high heat until you get a nice color or char. Should take about 5-10 minutes.
- Serve with lemon wedges and melted butter, aioli or a favorite rémoulade.
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