Braised Artichokes with Lemon Olive Oil Recipe

Braised Artichokes with Lemon Olive Oil Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Yield: Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS:

-2 large globe artichokes
-1/4 cup Sonoma Farm Lemon Olive Oil
-3/4 cup sliced shallots
-3 cloves garlic, minced, about 1 Tbsp
-1 cup dry white wine
-3/4 cup water
-1 teaspoon salt
-3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

METHOD:

1 Prep the artichokes. Prepare a large bowl with cold water. Using a serrated knife cut off the top inch of the artichokes. Use kitchen shears to snip off the thorny tips of the artichoke leaves. Use the serrated knife to cut the artichokes into quarters. Use a metal teaspoon to scrape away the hairy choke above the artichoke heart. Remove the small, papery, purplish leaves close to the choke.

2 Heat lemon olive oil on medium heat in a thick-bottomed pot that will hold all of the artichokes tightly in a single layer. (Choose a pot with a tight-fitting lid.) When the oil is hot, add the shallots and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute.

3 Add the white wine, water and salt to the pot. Make sure there is enough liquid to cover the bottom of the pan by 1/4-inch. If not, add more water until there is. Bring to a simmer, and simmer for a minute. Place the quartered artichokes, cut side down in a single layer, in the pot. Bring to a boil on high heat. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and lower the heat to medium. Simmer for 20 minutes. (If it looks like the pot is at risk of running out of liquid, add more hot water to the pot.) Then toss with the parsley  turning the artichokes over to coat them with the sauce, cover again, and cook for an additional 5 to 15 minutes, until the leaves are tender and are easy to pull off the artichoke.

Note that older artichokes may take a longer cooking time (and therefore more water/wine in the pot) to get tender.

Let cool to slightly warm or room temperature. Serve with some of the pan juices and shallots from the braising liquid. Especially good if you make a day ahead, giving the cooked artichokes more time to marinate. Just chill and return to room temperature before serving.

Sonoma Farm
May 2013