My mom was the first person to introduce me to fresh artichokes and boy am I glad she did. Before then I had only ever had the jarred marinated kind which are completely awesome too. Eating fresh artichokes is an experience, though. You aren't merely shoving food into your trap you are savoring each bite every time you scrap off a meaty part with your teeth.
A lot of people think the whole process is strange at first. When I first I had my son try them he was all confused as what to do. I tried to explain it's kind of like eating shrimp vs. their tails. You are just eating a certain piece of this vegetable. Although if shrimp is fried enough I eat the tails too. Bad example, but he got the point.
To season my artichokes I used a Pure Extra Virgin Olive Oil by Honeyland. This olive oil is completely kosher, unlike many other oils.
The oil extraction process at Kibbutz G'shur includes complete control over every step, from the plantation location and type of soil, through the production of seedlings, careful growth of trees to harvest process, stopping fat and keeping it in stainless steel tanks in a modern olive press. The careful oil extraction process takes place without human intervention. This guarantees superior oil quality and ensures taste and aroma that meets the needs of both chefs of gourmet cuisine and home cook alike.
This bottle of olive oil may look a little scary at first with all of the foreign writing but it's completely delicious. There is a spot on the bottle that explains that it is most definitely olive oil you are consuming. They promise that it contains no more than 0.5% free fatty acids and with its lighter complexion I believe them.
It is packaged it a can rather than a bottle yet amazingly pours out super smooth. It left no bitter taste on my artichokes, it completely complimented them! Rich and full of flavor. Delicious with the garlic and lemon!!
Garlic Roasted Artichokes
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- garlic pepper optional
- lemon pepper optional
- 1 artichoke
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut off part of the stem and about 1 inch off the top of the artichoke. Reach in between the leaves and try to spread them out as much as you can by hand.
- Spoon garlic in between the leaves and on top of the artichoke. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings that you wish.
- Wrap artichoke with foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 60 minutes or until tender. Serve with lemon herb mayo. Enjoy!
To be honest, I’ve only eaten artichokes in other dishes, as an ingredient in spinach artichoke dip, for example. But this looks like it would be pretty good.
I actually made some artichokes today in the pressure cooker. They were amazing!