Roman Artichokes

Carciofi alla Romana

Makes

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

4 (4) artichokes, with stems
½ (½) lemon, squeezed into a medium bowl of cold water
3 Tbsp (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil of good fruity flavor
2 (2) garlic cloves
2 Tbsp (2 Tbsp ) parsley, fresh
1 Tbsp (1 Tbsp ) mint, fresh
½ tsp (½ tsp) salt
a pinch (about ⅛ tsp) (a pinch (about ⅛ tsp)) freshly ground pepper

KEY: pinch (⅛ tsp) | tsp = teaspoon (5ml) | Tbsp = Tablespoon (15ml)

How to Trim Artichokes

Pull off 3 to 4 layers of the leaves.¹
With a sharp paring knife, cut 1 to 1½ inch (3-4cm) off the top, and trim the stalk to about 3-inch (8cm) long. (Don't worry if there is no stalk.)
Using your thumbs, spread out the leaves, starting from the outer layers and slowly moving towards the center, to pry open the flower. Then using a spoon, (or even better, a melon baller or grapefruit spoon), scrape the fuzzy choke out, being careful not to remove any of the tender heart of the artichoke below, and discard.²
Remove the fibrous outer layer off the stem with a paring knife or vegetable peeler. Then place the artichoke in a bowl of cold lemon water to discourage the artichoke from darkening while you trim the others.

To Cook the Artichokes

In a heavy bottomed tall pot, pour 1 Tbsp. (15ml) olive oil, ¼ cup (60ml) water and place the artichokes upside down (making sure there is enough room for the lid to close). Season with salt, cover with a lid and bring to a gentle simmer for about 10 minutes, or until barely tender.
Uncover the pot, increase the heat to medium-high and let it cook for about 5 more minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated and the bottom of the pan has turned golden brown.
Cover with a lid, and immediately take off the heat. Let the artichokes sit there for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, mince together the garlic, parsley and mint.
In a separate small skillet, over medium-low heat, warm 2 Tbsp. (30ml) olive oil, add the minced garlic, parsley and mint, and cook for about 1 minute.
To serve, transfer the artichokes to a platter and drizzle with the garlic herb olive oil sauce. Lightly sprinkle the inside with more salt, and pepper, and drizzle with good tasting extra virgin olive oil, if you like. Enjoy immediately.

1 Tip: Artichokes tend to stain: so you may want to use an old cutting board, and use culinary gloves, as stains on hands can take a day or two to fade away.

1a Tip: To remove any artichoke stains from your hands, try rubbing olive oil onto the stained area and let it sit for a few minutes before washing it off with soap and water. Other things you can try for both your hands and the cutting board are baking soda made into a paste with a little water, lemon juice or white vinegar.

2: You can also cut the artichoke into two halves, which makes it easier to remove the choke, and is beautiful when caramelized.

Tools

A 4 quart pot with lid - heavy bottomed with medium to tall sides
A Melon Baller - A spoon works, but a melon baller makes it a lot easier to scoop out the choke of the artichoke.

Nutrition Information

Please keep in mind that nutritional info is an estimate and varies according to ingredients used.