Baked Artichokes
Submitted by clarkII
Italian baked artichokes stuffed with fresh rosemary, sage, and dried red chile, roasted in an olive oil and water bath until tender. Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
45 minREADY
90 minThese Italian baked artichokes are all about simplicity: whole artichokes trimmed, chokes scooped out, packed with a fragrant mixture of fresh rosemary, fresh sage, and minced peperoncino, then roasted in a shallow bath of equal parts olive oil and water.
That olive oil-water bath is the technique that sets this apart from just baking artichokes in water. As it cooks, the water steams the artichokes from below while the oil bastes the leaves from the bottom up, and the olive oil drizzled over the tops bastes from above. The result is tender throughout with slightly golden, oil-fragrant outer leaves.
Keep the cleaned artichokes in lemon water while you work — they oxidize quickly once cut and will turn gray and unpleasant-looking without it.
The finished artichokes are good at any temperature: hot from the oven, room temperature for a buffet spread, or cold the next day. The herb oil flavor actually deepens as they sit.
Chef Tips
- Use a spoon to scoop out the fuzzy choke and prickly inner leaves cleanly; incomplete removal leaves an unpleasant texture at the center
- Trim the stems down to their tender core (the woody outer layer peels away easily) rather than cutting them off entirely
- The artichokes are done when the outer leaves pull away easily and the base is tender when pierced with a knife
- Be generous with the olive oil drizzle on top; artichokes are thirsty for fat and it shows in the final flavor
Variations
- Add a few minced garlic cloves to the herb filling for a sharper, more robust flavor
- Squeeze lemon over the artichokes when serving for brightness
Ingredients
Directions
Snap the bottom outer leaves off each artichoke and discard. Put the artichokes in water acidulated with a few drops oflemon juice to keep them from discoloring. Using a small sharp knife, trim the stems to their tender corres and cut the tops off the leaves. Spread the leaves and scoop and scrape out the choke and any prickly inner leaves with a spoon.
To make the filling, mix the herbs, peperoncino (red dried pepper), salt, pepper and a little olive oil.
Divide the mixture evely and pack it in the artichokes. Stand them in a single layer in a baking pan filled to 1” height with equal amounts of water and olive oil. Sprinkle olive oil liberally over the tops.
Heat the oven to 350℉ (180℃) and bake unti tender, about 45 min. Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold.
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