[ ./recipes/sides/braised-whole-artichokes.md ]
★ ITALIAN · SIDES
Whole Braised Artichokes.
SERVES
2
TOTAL
90m
ACTIVE
25m
LVL
MEDIUM
// SUMMARY
Large globe artichokes deserve better than a pot of boiling water. Braised whole and slowly in olive oil, white wine and garlic, the leaves turn completely tender and the cooking liquor reduces into a glossy, intensely savoury sauce. Eaten leaf by leaf, ending at the heart with the last of the sauce spooned over it. Serves 2 generously, or 4 as a starter.
// INGREDIENTS
| 2 | large globe artichokes | |
| — 3–4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced | ||
| 1 | lemon | |
| 100 | ml | dry white wine |
| 150 | ml | water, or light vegetable or chicken stock |
| 5 | tbsp | extra virgin olive oil |
| 1 | small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped | |
| 1 | sprig thyme | |
| 1 | bay leaf | |
| 0.5 | tsp | chilli flakes, optional |
| — Fine sea salt | ||
| — Freshly ground black pepper | ||
// METHOD
- 01
Fill a large bowl with cold water and the juice of half the lemon — artichokes brown within minutes of being cut.
- 02
Trim the stem to leave 3–5 cm attached, then peel its tough outer layer with a vegetable peeler. The stem is an extension of the heart and is worth keeping.
- 03
Cut off the top third of each artichoke with a sharp knife and pull away the small tough leaves around the base. Rub every cut surface with lemon straight away and drop the artichoke into the lemon water. Leave them whole — do not halve them.
- 04
Drain and shake them dry. Gently prise the leaves apart with your fingers and push the sliced garlic, chopped parsley, salt, pepper and chilli flakes down between them. Go easy — the artichoke should stay the point of the dish.
- 05
Choose a heavy pot or Dutch oven that holds the artichokes fairly snugly. Warm 3 tbsp olive oil with the thyme, bay leaf and any remaining garlic for about a minute.
- 06
Sit the artichokes in the pot stem-side up. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for about a minute.
- 07
Add the water or stock and the juice of the remaining half lemon. Season the liquid with salt and pepper and bring it to a simmer.
- 08
Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 35–55 minutes, spooning the liquid over the artichokes every 10–15 minutes. Really large ones can need 60–70 minutes.
- 09
They are done when an inner leaf pulls out with no resistance and the fleshy base is completely tender.
- 10
Take the lid off for the last 5–10 minutes and let the liquid reduce until the oil, wine and artichoke juices come together into a glossy sauce.
- 11
Off the heat, stir in another 1–2 tbsp of your best olive oil. Finish with fresh parsley, black pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
// NOTES
- — How to eat them. Sit each artichoke in a shallow bowl and spoon the braising juices over it. Work leaf by leaf, scraping the flesh off each one with your teeth. At the centre, pull out the small inner leaves, scrape away the hairy choke with a spoon, cut the heart into pieces and spoon the last of the sauce over it. The heart with the sauce is the best mouthful of the dish.
- — Acidulated water is not optional. Cut artichoke oxidises fast and goes grey and bitter-looking within minutes.
- — A snug pot matters more than pot size. Too much space and the braising liquid spreads thin and boils away instead of reducing into a sauce.
- — Judge doneness by the leaves, not the clock — size varies enormously and a big artichoke will happily take 70 minutes.
- — Use vegetable stock, or just water, to keep the dish vegetarian.
- — They are very good at room temperature the next day, with the set braising oil spooned back over.
// VARIATIONS
- → With anchovy: Melt 2 anchovy fillets into the olive oil with the garlic at the start. They dissolve completely and give the sauce real savoury depth without tasting of fish. The best single upgrade here.
- → With garlicky breadcrumbs: Finish the hearts with toasted breadcrumbs fried in olive oil with garlic, for contrast against all that softness.
- → Braised then roasted: For very large artichokes, steam-braise them upside down first, then roast them hard at the end — exceptionally tender hearts with caramelised outer leaves.