Artichokes in a lemon and herb sauce
I grew up with my Nana steaming the large pot of artichokes on Sunday's and we would sit around the table before dinner with our bowl and just eat them with lots of laughter and smiles. My Nana was very smart and she knew if she was making artichokes we would all sit around the table with her and that is all she wanted. I came up with this recipe to add a different twist to artichokes but I still enjoy them steamed with olive oil and tons of chunky pieces of garlic!
You can also find this recipe in my cookbook:.
**Cindy's Tip! We all want to get to the heart of the artichoke. Enjoy each leaf peddle by putting in your mouth then using your teeth to get the delicious flesh in your mouth. Enjoy each leaf and don't hurry for the heart! When you arrive to the bottom of your artichoke, there is a little "fuzzy hair"--just remove them and cut around the heart. Put on your plate, cut it into pieces and just lightly dip and take a bite and enjoy that flavor in your mouth. Enjoy with your family and friends! **
Ingredients
- Ingredients for the herb sauce:
- 1 lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 small clove garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoons capers (drained)
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill (minced)
- 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley (minced)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
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- Ingredients for artichokes:
- 4 medium artichokes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic (peeled and chopped)
- 1 and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Directions
With a sharp knife, slice about 1 inch off the top of each artichoke. Cut stems, leaving about 1 inch on each artichoke. Holding the stem, flip over and bang hard on a wooden board. This helps to open up the artichoke.
Fill a large pot with 4 inches of water (water should only come up to the bottom of a steamer basket, not cover it)--and place on high heat. Insert steamer basket into pot and add artichokes then drizzle olive oil and add garlic pieces and some of the leaves then season with sea salt.
Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a medium simmer. Cook for 25-35 minutes or until outer leaves of artichokes can be easily pulled off.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the lemon and herb sauce.
When artichokes are done, slice in 1/2 then place in a large platter with a bowl of the sauce for dipping.