Easy Braised Artichokes with Lemon + Macadamia Nut Oil

Super easy stovetop braised artichokes.


Artichokes.

We all really love to eat them.

But a lot of us are intimidated to cook them.

Until now.

These super easy braised artichokes everybody!

Cooking artichokes at home has never been easier.

Really, I mean it.

These braised artichokes will change your life.

I am Italian. I didn’t grow up eating a lot of meat and potato dinners, casseroles or pre-packaged meals. I grew up eating a typical Mediterranean diet including a lot of pasta, grilled seasonal vegetables, and artichokes. I have been eating artichokes since I was a baby, and they were some of the first things I learned how to cook. These stuffed artichokes should definitely be tackled after you master this braised artichoke.

Because of my culinary upbringing artichokes and I have always had a real easy relationship. But, I know they’re really intimating to a lot of people. And rightfully so.  They require a little extra love, I get it. Whether you’re an artichoke pro or a total newbie, this braising recipe is one we should all have in our wheelhouse. It’s fast and delicious and surprisingly easy. Below are a few pro-tips to get started.

PRO-TIP ONE.
Pick a great artichoke.

A sign of a healthy, fresh choke is one with tightly-packed, bright green leaves. Something to keep in mind is that artichokes are heavily sprayed vegetables. If you can find and afford organic ones that’s best. If you can’t, no biggie, just give pro-tip four a little extra love.

PRO-TIP TWO.
Trim the artichoke.

Whether you are stuffing or braising or otherwise you’ll need to trim your artichoke first. Place the artichoke on its side and slice off the stem so it has a flat bottom. Then peel off the layer of leaves around the base. Next cut off the top quarter, so the top is flat. Lastly take a pair of kitchen shears and trim the sharp points off each leaf.

PRO-TIP THREE.
Clean the artichoke.

Depending on your cooking method or desire this step is optional. But do this if you are looking to remove the choke itself, a tiny inner section of leaves and hairs. Cut the artichoke in half you will see a defined line that separates the choke from the heart. This artichoke image illustrates this beautifully. Take a small spoon and at the line press inwards and scoop out. The choke will come out with ease.

PRO-TIP FOUR.
Bath your beauty.

As I mentioned, artichokes are pretty dirty vegetables. Whether they’re heavily sprayed or organic, bugs, dirt and other debris can be trapped inside each leaf layer. I like to give my chokes a nice bath after I’ve trimmed them. Fill a bowl with cold water, and juice from two lemons. Submerge the artichokes in the water for at about five minutes and then rinse well.

This braised artichoke recipe is in partnership with Mountain Rose Herbs. I chose to finish the  artichokes with some fresh lemon juice because that flavor pairs beautifully with their organic Macadamia Nut Oil. Macadamia nut oil has a beautiful nutty, but not overpowering scent. And a light body which makes it a perfect finishing oil.

I completed the dish with a generous sprinkle of  Cyprus Flake Salt. Cyprus flake salt is the most beautiful salt I have ever seen. A true Mediterranean delight, known for its dazzling and distinctive pyramid shape, light texture and mild taste. I could {and will} put this on everything. If you want to up your cooking game you need this salt in your kitchen right now.

 

Stovetop Braised Artichokes with Garlic + Vegetable Broth

Author: Sherrie Castellano | With Food + Love

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 4

This recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman via [url href=”http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013163-braised-artichokes” target=”_blank”]The New York Times[/url].

Ingredients

• 4 medium artichokes
• 3 lemons {1 for cooking, 2 for bathing}
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
• 8 cloves of garlic, halved
• 2 – 3 cups vegetable broth
• sea salt
• black pepper
• fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Prepare the artichokes by trimming the tops, and leaves. Cutting out the chokes, and giving them a nice lemon bath. See story above for detailed instructions.
2. Warm the olive oil over medium-low heat in a deep skillet. Place the artichokes cut side down and fry for five minutes or until they are browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Add in the garlic and broth, it should come about halfway up the sides of the artichoke, use as much as you need to do so. Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Be sure to check the artichokes every 5 minutes to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan, adding more broth as necessary.
4. The artichokes will be done with you can easily slide a knife through their heart. Sprinkle with more salt and pepper if necessary, and transfer artichokes to serving platter.
5. Raise the heat to high and add in juice from 1 lemon, and a splash more broth. Whisk until smooth. Serve the artichokes with a drizzle of the sauce, more olive oil and a sprinkle of parsley.
6. To eat, pull off each mature leaf one by one. Scrape the meat from the bottom with your teeth and discard. Repeat until you reach the heart, and then devour that whole.

3.5.3217

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Easy Braised Artichokes with Lemon + Macadamia Nut Oil

These super easy stovetop braised artichokes are naturally gluten-free, vegan and keto-friendly. MACROS: 8 grams net carbs, 17 grams of fat, 7 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 medium artichokes
• 3 lemons divided
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 - 3 cups vegetable broth {see notes}
• sea salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• Macadamia Nut Oil for garnish
• Cyprus Flake Salt for garnish 
• fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

• Trim and clean the artichoke following pro-tips two and three. See story above for details.
• In a sauté pan warm the olive oil over medium heat. Place the artichokes cut side down and fry for five minutes or until they are browned. 
• Add in a pinch salt and pepper and 2 cups of broth {or more} it should come about halfway up the sides of the artichoke. Use as much broth as you need to.
• Turn the heat up to high and bring to a gentle boil. Then turn the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Be sure to check the artichokes every 5 minutes or so to make sure there is enough liquid in the pan, adding more broth as necessary.
• The artichokes will be done with you can easily slide a knife through their heart. Transfer them to a plate and serve with a generous squeeze of juice from the remaining lemon, a drizzle of macadamia nut oil, flake salt and fresh parsley.
• To eat, pull off each leaf one by one and scrape the meat from the bottom with your teeth and discard. Repeat until you reach the heart, and then devour that whole.

Notes

You can use any broth you prefer in this recipe. Vegetable and the like. If you aren't using low-sodium, taste before adding any additional salt. 

This post is sponsored by Mountain Rose Herbs; all opinions are my own.