Marinated Baby Artichokes
These marinated artichokes, inspired by the America's Test Kitchen DIY Cookbook, are incredibly luscious and versatile. You can use them as an accompaniment for a cheese plate, an addition to a pasta dish, a topping for pizza, or simply eat them straight from the jar.
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 1¼ cup olive oil
- 2 pounds baby artichokes*
- 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 - 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 - 6 sprigs fresh rosemary or mint
Instructions
- Remove 4 1-inch strips of zest from the lemon. Cut the lemon in half and juice ¼ cup of juice. Reserve the used lemon halves. Combine the lemon juice, strips, and oil in a large saucepan. Set aside.
- Use a chef's knife to, one at a time, cut off the top third of each artichoke, cut away the woody part of the step, and peel the fibrous outside away from the stem. Snap off the tougher outer leaves until you get to the more tender inner ones. Cut the artichoke in half lengthwise and rub each half with the juiced lemon. Plate cut-side-down in the saucepan.
- Add the garlic, pepper, salt, thyme, and rosemary or mint to the saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let stand for 20 minutes or until the artichokes are tender.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the artichokes to two sterilized pint jars. Do not add the thyme, rosemary, or mint sprigs to the jars. Strain the oil and pour it over the artichokes, leaving ½-inch head space. Allow to cool to room temperature and then transfer to the fridge. The artichokes will keep for up to 3 weeks.
Notes
*It's important to use baby artichokes and not substitute larger ones. Baby artichokes have not yet developed a prickly choke that needs to be removed. They're also smaller and more tender, which makes them great as an addition to a cheese plate.
Adapted from Summer 2013
Amy Scheuerman
Amy Scheuerman—culture's former web director—spent eight years in North Carolina where she developed a love of barbecue and biscuits before moving up north to get a degree in nutrition. She now works at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.
