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Baby Artichokes!
Yes. I’m yelling because baby artichokes are a seasonal gem that are so insanely delicious that the mere thought of someone not enjoying them simply because they ‘think’ they don’t know how to cook them breaks my heart.
Dramatic? Perhaps.
But it’s true, and I really am making it my mission to get them into your belly this season.
I think the most surprising thing about working with baby artichokes is how much of the artichoke you don’t actually use. As a matter of fact, I think it’s fair to say that 50% of the artichoke gets thrown away when prepping and the other 50% turns into these little tender nuggets that won’t last long on a plate (at least not if they are in eyes sight for me!).
If you have never worked with them before, read the directions below and watch the video. Let me walk you through this because I really want you to have the joy of having these little gems in your belly before their season is up.
And if you have any questions or need any clarity, ASK! Remember what your high school teachers told you; there is no such thing as a stupid question. So ask away and then go enjoy!!
Simply Sauteed Baby Artichokes With Lemon And Garlic
Ingredients
- 1 lb. baby artichokes
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- Juice from one big fat juicy lemon 2 tbsp.
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and a kiss of salt.
- Trim your artichokes. Cut off 1/3 from the top of the artichoke, trim the stem and then remove any and all tough outer leaves. You will need to remove more leaves than you think, just keep going until you see the tender inner leaves that are a nice light pale green.
- Slice the artichoke in half and add to the lemony olive oil mixture being sure to toss each half around so it is lightly coated in the lemony goodness. *Once the artichokes are exposed to oxygen they quickly oxidize (aka turn black) so take your time, but try to work as quickly as possible 😉
- Once you have all the artichokes prepped, heat a medium non-stick saut pan over a medium-high heat. Toss artichokes and the lemony olive oil mixture into the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the artichokes are lightly browned. Add a splash of water to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Remove the lid and flip all the artichokes, add another splash of water to the pan and cover for 2-3 minutes again. Remove the lid and allow the rest of the water to evaporate while artichokes get a nice light browning on the opposite side.
- Your artichokes are done when they can be easily pierced with a fork or knife.
- Serve with fresh lemon and enjoy!
Katy says
I’m so glad you posted this because you’re right – I had no idea how to prepare them! I would have passed them right by. I will definitely be trying these if I see them in the store. Would be a perfect dish to bring to a party too.
Dani says
Yes it would be perfect for a party and people would be very impressed having no idea how easy they really are;)
Patricia says
You got me turned on to so many vegetables I would have walked by many things – but what about the furry thing in the middle??? Were these too young to have produced that yet so you didn’t have to worry about it?
Dani says
Yes! I should have mentioned that in the video. That’s the beauty of the baby artichoke the never develop their ‘choke’ (aka the furry hint in the middle) so you get to eat the whole thing!
Deanna says
Oh my goodness…I think I thought the very smaller artichoke would be good to use….NOT !!!
I think The ones I chose were also too old…very hard to cut and peal away!
I will try again with’ true baby artichokes’ , no fuzzy part to mess with either!
Ugh!
I am giving this a 5 star because I think it will be great when I use the right artichoke.
Dani says
Hi Deanna! You are 100% right – you HAVE to use the baby artichokes. The big ones won’t work, even if they are small big ones. I hope you get to try this with the small ones soon:)
Tracey says
Dani, what’s the nutritional info for this dish? Thanks!
Dani says
Tracey, the reason I did not list the nutritional info was because I could not find the break down for the baby artichokes. If I find it, I’ll be sure to share:)
Peter Rabinowitz says
You might think this is cheating a bit but there is a wonderful product out there in the frozen food section (of Shaw’s or Star Market, in The East): Birds Eye, fresh Frozen Deluxe artichoke hearts. All you need to do is thaw them and then follow Dani’s directions for the same results. There are about 12 pieces per box, weighing 9 ounces so a couple of boxes should probably equal what Dani is talking about. It is not immediately fresh veges but you could have these all year round!
Dani says
Peter that sounds amazing and a great option for anyone who can not find them fresh. Thanks for sharing!
Conny says
Hi Dani,
I was wondering if I could make these with the big ones too instead of baby artichokes? Can I cut them in quarters for example, roast them and bake them in the oven until they’re tender? I haven’t seen baby artichokes on the markets in my area yet, just the big ones.
Dani says
I honestly don’t know. My guess would be that sautéed the big ones would not work (unless they were pre-steamed) but I have seen people roast whole artichokes before by warping them in foil with olive oil, lemon, garlic, and salt and cooking at 425 for 1-1.5 hours. I’ve never tried this myself but would love to give it a go.
Anara Timchenko says
Hello, Dani! Thanks for posting this! I didn’t know how to cook artichokes. Now I will definitely give it a try!
P.S. Miss your bright lipstick!
Arlo says
Hi Dani
I am forever in your debt !
I first saw baby artichokes being sold from a boat on a canal in Venice, Italy years ago. They looked wonderful but I didn’t get any as I didn’t know what to do with them. We live in England but have a house in France where we spend the summer. Same story : often seen them but never tried them.
I looked them up on the internet, found your recipe and bought some at our local market next day. Wow ! Straight to the top of my favourites’ list (yes, that’s you and the artichokes !).
The ultimate accolade came yesterday when I served them cold (we’re in the middle of a heat wave here – it was 38 Celsius at noon yesterday) to some French friends who like their food and drink, and they went down a storm.
Once again – so grateful to you : I understand now why you’re such an enthusiast !!!
Dani says
Awe! thank you so much. I’m so glad you enjoyed them. They really are SO delicious.
Arlo says
Sorry, should have added, the point you make about throwing away all the outer leaves until you get down to pale green ones is really important. The first time I tried this, I left some that were still tinged with purple and even after cooking they were still quite tough. I know it feels quite wasteful to throw so much away, but do it – what you’re left with is just SO delicious !
Dani says
very true!!
Arlo says
Hi Dani
I cooked baby artichokes to your recipe yesterday and we had them in a risotto. They were absolutely delicious !
Trini says
I absolutely love this recipe. I live in Northern Spain and have difficulty finding the larger artichokes I am used to preparing. The small ones are easy to find and this recipe is delicious.
Dani says
So glad you liked this one Trini! I can’t wait until artichokes are back in season here.
Frankie says
Very good recipe – simple, easy to prepare, and very flavorful.
Dani says
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it Frankie.