Description
This recipe for Grilled Artichokes offers a delightful way to prepare and enjoy fresh artichokes with a smoky grilled flavor and a tangy balsamic dipping sauce. Artichokes are first trimmed, steamed or pressure cooked until tender, then brushed with an infused olive oil before being grilled to achieve beautiful char marks and enhanced flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Artichokes
- 4 artichokes
- 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
For the Dipping Sauce
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Prepare infused olive oil: Smash the garlic cloves and combine them with the olive oil and chopped parsley in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 45-60 seconds to gently warm the mixture without overheating. Set aside to infuse.
- Prevent browning on cut artichokes: Cut a lemon in half and keep one half nearby to rub its juice on the artichoke surfaces immediately after cutting to prevent browning.
- Trim artichokes: Cut about 1/2 inch off the stem, remove any small leaves at the base, and peel the tough outside of the stem using a vegetable peeler.
- Cut top of the artichoke: Slice off the top 1 inch of the bud of leaves and immediately rub lemon juice on the fresh cut to prevent discoloration.
- Remove leaf tips and halve artichokes: Using kitchen shears, snip off the pointy tops of each leaf carefully, then cut the artichoke in half and immediately rub lemon juice on the insides.
- Remove small inner leaves: Carefully pull out the small inner leaves that are shorter than where you cut the top off, as they can be sharp.
- Remove choke: Scrape out the fuzzy choke inside using a spoon, then rub lemon juice once more on the insides.
- Cook artichokes in pressure cooker (optional): Add 1 cup of water and a trivet to the pressure cooker pot. Stack artichoke halves cut side down on the trivet. Seal the lid and set steam vent to sealing. Cook at high pressure for 6 minutes, then quick release the steam and carefully open when float drops.
- Cook artichokes stovetop (optional): Add 2-3 cups of water to a large pot and bring to a simmer. Place artichokes in a steamer basket and place over the simmering water. Cover and steam for 35-40 minutes or until tender.
- Preheat grill: Set grill to medium-high heat to prepare for grilling.
- Brush artichokes with infused olive oil: Place tender cooked artichokes cut side up on a platter and gently brush the infused olive oil over the insides to prevent sticking and add flavor.
- Grill artichokes: Place artichokes oiled side down on the grill. Grill for 3-5 minutes until lightly charred and grill marks appear.
- Season and serve: Sprinkle grilled artichokes with kosher or sea salt and serve immediately. Enjoy by scraping the tender flesh off the leaves and heart with your teeth. The stem and heart are edible and considered the best parts.
- Prepare dipping sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, plain yogurt, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve alongside the artichokes.
Notes
- To prevent the artichokes from browning quickly, apply lemon juice immediately after each cut.
- Be cautious with the sharp leaf tips and inner leaves when trimming.
- The heart and stem are edible and delicious, don’t discard them.
- You can use either a pressure cooker or stovetop steaming method to cook the artichokes to tenderness before grilling.
- The infused olive oil adds garlic and herb flavor and helps to grill without sticking.
- The balsamic dipping sauce balances the smoky artichokes with a tangy creaminess.
