Nothing says Spring produce like fresh artichokes.
This easy recipe features one of my favorite nutrient dense foods of the season.
Why artichokes are good for you
One large globe artichoke is only 76 calories, and 17 grams of carbs, with nine of those grams being gut healthy prebiotic fibers. The daily fiber recommendation is 25-30 grams, while the average American only eats about 10 grams, or one third of the daily recommendation.
The fiber is mainly inulin, a prebiotic, supporting healthy digestion, healthy blood sugar levels, and satiety. We don’t break down, digest, and get calories out of this fiber, but our gut microbiome will feed off of it and make short chain fatty acids, like butyrate, which fuel the gut lining, and supports healthy immune function.
While we often think of animal products as a good source of protein, plants pack their fair share as well. One artichoke has about 6 grams, almost as much as an ounce of meat.
Plus, you get the benefits of micronutrients including vitamin C, folate, magnesium, and potassium, certain anti-inflammatory antioxidants like cynarin and silymarin that support the liver and healthy cholesterol levels.
How do I cook fresh artichokes
The average edible yield, meaning what you can actually eat after you trim and discard the inedible parts is only about 33%.
While there are several cooking methods, including grilling, boiling, and stuffing with breadcrumbs and seasoning to bake in the oven, in this recipe, I am able to preserve more of the leaves because these are braised in liquid until the fibrous leaves have softened, reducing waste.
The tips of the leaves are very sharp, so the first step of preparation is to lay the artichoke on its’ side, and cut through about the top 1/3, then pull and discard any leaves from the cut top end towards the base that still have a sharp tip.
Then, trim the end of the stem, but don’t cut the whole stem off. It is an extension of the heart, which is the sweetest and most tender part, so just peel the outer layer and leave the stem intact.
Cut the artichoke lengthwise, and you will see a furry center just above the heart. That needs to be scraped out and discarded, along with any sharp leaves. Be sure to leave the heart center intact.
If you are stuffing them whole, and not following this recipe, you would skip the last step, and parboil to soften the leaves before stuffing with bread crumbs, garlic, parmesan cheese, and spices before baking covered in a braising liquid until the leaves are soft.
Choose artichokes that feel heavy for their size, with tight, compact leaves. If the leaves are splaying out, that may be an indicator of age, and it’s more likely they will be tough.
What do artichokes taste like
The taste and textures are very unique. The leaves are nutty, earthy, and fibrous, and the heart and stem are a bit sweeter. Before cooking, the flesh is quite bitter due to the tannins, but cooking in liquid brings out sweet and buttery flavors.
Why do artichokes turn brown
Artichokes will oxidize when exposed to air, much like cut potatoes, avocados, and apples due to an enzymatic reaction.
This recipe calls for two artichokes, and once you cut them open the oxidation clock starts ticking. If you work quickly, they should not brown, but if you’re a newbie, and need to take your time, or are multiplying this recipe, it would be a good idea to acidulate some water with fresh squeezed lemon, and drop your cut artichokes into the lemon water to prevent oxidation, which will turn the exposed cut areas brown.
Oftentimes, restaurants will deep fry artichoke hearts, and prepare them decadently with lots of breading and mayo dipping sauce, but I like this lightened up, less adulterated version which lets the nutty, earthy flavor comes through.
Instead of a mayo dipping sauce, the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is added to the white wine lemon braising liquid to tighten it up so you can scrape up all that yummy poached garlic with the leaves.
If you don’t want to mess with the whole globe, and prefer to incorporate just the hearts into recipes, frozen over canned is the way to go. They are convenient, delicious, and unadulterated with sodium, brines, marinades, and oils like canned or jarred.
Try my Roasted Rainbow Artichoke Saffron Chicken or Sheet Pan Asparagus Cherry Tomato Artichoke Heart
Instagram Tutorial: How to make braised artichokes
These are very easy to prepare, but be sure to have all of your ingredients ready to go, as this comes together quickly, and getting your cut artichokes into the braising liquid will help to prevent browning.
You will need some extra virgin olive oil, good Parmesan cheese, copious amounts of chopped garlic, a lemon for both the juice and zest, sea salt, some dry white wine, water, fresh parsley leaves, and a generous pinch of salt
Artichokes Braised in Garlic Wine Lemon and Parsley
Nothing says Spring produce like fresh artichokes. This easy braised fresh globe artichoke recipe features one of my favorite nutrient dense foods of the season.
Ingredients
- 2 Globe Artichokes
- 6-8 large cloves garlic rough chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Generous salt pinch
- Zest and juice of one lemon
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup water
- Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- Fresh Italian parsley leaves for garnish
Instructions
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Have all ingredients ready before cutting artichokes to minimize browning/oxidation
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Lay the artichoke on its’ side, cut through top 1/3, then pull off any leaves towards the base that still have a sharp tip (discard)
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Trim end of the stem, and peel up to the base
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Cut artichoke lengthwise, scrape and discard furry bits just above the heart
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In a large skillet, place artichokes cut side down, scatter garlic around, and add olive oil, lemon zest and juice, salt, water, and white wine
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Cover and braise 15 minutes, turn to cut side up, cover and braise 15 minutes more
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They are done when outer leaves pull away easily
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Spoon braising liquid over artichokes, and sprinkle Parmigiano Reggiano around to tighten up liquid into a cheesy sauce
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Taste braising liquid and add additional salt as needed
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Garnish with fresh Italian parsley leaves before serving
Recipe Notes
You eat artichokes by pulling leaves off, then scraping the petals across your teeth. Then discard the rest of the fibrous remains. The heart and stem are eaten in their entirety. The younger, more tender inner leaves can be eaten in entirety
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