I love artichokes and they’re so easy to prepare…just steam/boil them and that’s it…but I decided to take it one step further and grill them this time, like I’ve had at some favorite restaurants. YUMMY!
So, the basic way to prepare an artichoke is to cut the top off and trim the leaves with some scissors. You’d also need to cut the stem so it sits upright. For this recipe I put them in a large pot (the one I use for spaghetti) and fill with water and a splash of olive oil until the artichoke is submerged about halfway up. Then just bring to a boil and cover for about 30 minutes or so. The alternative to this and much quicker is to put it in a microwave safe dish with about the same amount of water and microwave for about 10-13 minutes. If you overdo it the leaves will curl a bit, but the taste of the part you “scrape” onto your teeth and eat will be the same. I test for doneness with a pair of tongs and just grab a leaf and try to pick up the artichoke. If the leaf comes off easily it’s done.
For the grilled version I boiled it as instructed above and then cut them in half. I removed that fuzzy stuff that you don’t eat called the “choke” drizzled it with garlic butter and placed it face down on a hot grill.
It only takes a minute or so, depending on how hot your grill is, to get a nice char. Take it off, drizzle with more garlic butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Voila!…a new, and improved, way to make artichokes.
Enjoy the Opening Ceremonies for the Olympics tonight! GO USA! (of course rowing is on at 4:30am, so I’m recording it every day….they should have it on prime time!) If you liked The Boys in the Boat, you also might want to watch this documentary about The Boys of ’36!
You cannot direct the wind, but you can adjust the sails!
