Okay, so I’ve been on this huge artichoke kick lately. I don’t know why, but I just can’t get enough of them. I started wondering, “What can I actually do with these things besides just steaming them?” So, I did what anyone would do – I started experimenting!
My Artichoke Adventures
First, I tried the obvious – steaming. Yep, that’s the classic. I just trimmed the artichokes, cut off the top, and steamed them until they were tender. Easy peasy. But then what? I needed something to dip them in.
- Melted Butter: Can’t go wrong with this. Simple, classic, delicious. I added a little bit of garlic powder to the butter, and it was chef’s kiss.
- Mayonnaise: Okay, hear me out. I mixed some mayo with lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and some black pepper. It was surprisingly good! A little tangy, a little creamy.
- Aioli: This is basically fancy mayo. I didn’t make my own (who has time for that?), but I bought some good quality garlic aioli from the store, and it was fantastic. Definitely my favorite so far.
Then I got a little more adventurous. I figured, “If artichokes are good steamed, maybe they’re good roasted, too?” So, I preheated my oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. I cut the artichokes in half, drizzled them with olive oil, sprinkled them with salt, pepper, and some dried oregano. I roasted them for about 30-40 minutes, until they were nice and browned and tender.
The result? Amazing! Roasting them brought out this nutty, slightly sweet flavor that I didn’t get from steaming. The edges got a little crispy, which was a nice texture change.
Next up, I decided to try incorporating artichokes into a dish, not just as a side. I made a simple pasta with sauteed garlic, cherry tomatoes, and – you guessed it – artichoke hearts. I used canned artichoke hearts for this, because I was feeling a little lazy. I just tossed everything together with some cooked pasta, olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Added a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on top. It was light, fresh, and really tasty!
Finally, I’m thinking about trying grilled artichokes. I haven’t done it yet, but I’m thinking I’ll parboil them first, then grill them with some lemon halves and maybe a little balsamic glaze. I’ll keep you posted on how that goes!
So, that’s my artichoke journey so far. I started with simple steaming and dipping, moved on to roasting, and then used them in a pasta dish. I am enjoying every steps, it is really good!
