Roasted Baby Artichokes

Roasted Baby Artichokes

I love artichokes. My Italian grandmother would serve the big ones at holiday dinners, and the kids usually got half each. Lucky for me my cousins were not nearly so fond of the giant green globes as I was, and with a little strategy, I could make a trade or two that would place me smack dab in the middle of artichoke heaven.

Artichokes have a special allure; they possess an exotic mystique that practically challenges you to unlock their secrets. They are regal looking vegetables, with a big presence. To the uninitiated, the can appear just the teensiest bit formidable. It is no wonder that the artichoke is held in high esteem and served for special occasions. But the truth of the matter is that the giant artichokes can be messy to eat, and therefore are truly best enjoyed when no one is watching you. Baby artichokes let you bring all the delicious elements of artichokes to the table, without having to deal with the discarded leaves and thistle. You can eat the whole baby artichoke.

Make sure you trim enough outer leaves off the baby artichokes to achieve a tender finished dish. The idea for this came from Bitchin' Camero , but I have made adjustments to the amounts of garlic and oil to emphasize the artichoke flavor, and added a tangy lemon juice finish that complements the smooth artichoke and oil.

Enjoy!






INGREDIENTS
1 doz baby artichokes, trimmed as described in Saveur
1/4 c olive oil
1 Tbsp coarse salt (I used a lava rock salt)
4-5 whole garlic cloves, peeled
Lemon juice to taste

PROCEDURE
Preheat oven to 400F
Toss all ingredients except  lemon juice in an ovenproof casserole
Cover
Bake for 35 minutes, until tender
Drizzle with olive oil before serving.

• Excellent served warm/hot as a side dish 
• Or cut in half and toss with pasta and good freshly grated Parmesan and cracked pepper
• Serve room temp or chilled as appetizers with a crisp white wine