Perhaps it's my mother's fault, but I'm addicted to artichokes. The depth of texture and flavors throughout the vegetable are dynamic and always interactive. I have memories of dunking leaves in garlic butter as a kid; and though my presentation is more refined at this age and stage of life, I still see the fun in passing and throwing the already-enjoyed leaves in a community "trash" bowl. This side is graceful yet bold, and it will pair perfectly with a winter dish of your choice (in this case, we served a jumbo lump crab risotto with hominy).
Serves 4
2 artichokes
2 lemons
4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1. Cut 1/2 of an inch off rinsed artichoke tops, and cut off a majority of the stems. Trim any thorny tips off the outer leaves with kitchen scissors. Half lengthwise and use a knife (or grapefruit spoon) to remove hairy fibers and non-edible purple leaves. Plunge artichokes in a bowl of lemon water to keep color while prepping.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil and juice of 1 lemon in a casserole dish or pan and swirl to coat. Then, add a clove to the center of each artichoke hearts and place (face-down) in the pan. Drizzles tops with additional olive oil. Squeeze second lemon over artichokes. If desired, keep lemons in the pan to roast alongside the artichokes.
3. Roast for 20-25 minutes until leaves can pull off easily! Allow to slightly cool before serving.
