Grilled Artichokes with Garlic Aioli

Grilled Artichokes are earthy, sexy, delicious and wonderful for a dinner party! The smoky char gives them a great depth of flavor. They also make a beautiful presentation and will get a conversation going as most people will look at them and ask "how do I eat it?".  Pull off one leaf at a time, and scrape the tender flesh off the bottom with your teeth. Dip each leaf end in the Roasted Garlic aioli, or drawn butter, for extra flavor. Keep pulling leaves until you get to the heart attached to the stem. That is the prize bite.  They pair well with a dry, white wine such as Soave from the Veneto region of Italy.

I found these beautiful, large purple artichokes at my grocery store and couldn't wait to try them.  They taste just like green artichokes so either would work in this recipe.  I just liked the color!

Follow my step-by-step guide to prep the artichokes.  It really is easy once you learn the process.  This is also a good task to get your guests involved.

Remove bottom leaves and trim the stem

Cut off the top

Snip the pointy  tips

Cut in half and rub with lemon

Remove fuzzy choke (a grapefruit spoon works best)

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Grilled Artichokes with Garlic Aioli

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Author Homemade Italian Cooking with Cara

Ingredients

• 6 whole artichokes purple or green
• 1 large lemon
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 8 large cloves garlic 2 minced and 6 whole in paper skin
• ¼ cup olive oil + 1 teaspoon for aioli
• Salt and black pepper to season
• ¼ c. mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Fill a large bowl ¾ of the way with water. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the water and drop the lemon half in the water. Have ready for prepping the artichokes.
• Trim stem: Cut the tip and leave 2 inches of the stem. Peel the tough skin off the stem with a vegetable peeler. Pull off the bottom row or two of tough leaves.
• Cut Top and Snip Tips: :Lay the artichoke on its side, and cut the top ¼ off the with a sharp knife. WIth a scissors, snip off any point ends remaining on each leaf.
• Cut in Half: Cut the artichoke in half from top to stem. Immediately rub the cut half with a lemon to prevent oxidation and the inner leaves turning brown.
• Remove the Choke: remove the fuzzy thistle and purple flesh of the choke with a spoon. If you have a grapefruit spoon this works great. The center will be hollowed out.
• Place the trimmed artichoke in the lemon water while prepping the rest of the artichokes.
• Fill a large stockpot ¾’s with water, 2 tablespoons of water and the other lemon half. Bring to a boil. Add the artichoke halves and simmer for 20 minutes or until the stem is fork tender.
• Remove the artichokes and drop in an ice bath to stop cooking.
• Place the olive oil and minced garlic in a small bowl.
• Pat the cooled artichokes dry and place on a pan for transfer to the grill.
• Brush both sides of artichoke with the garlic and olive oil mixture. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper.
• To grill, place the artichokes directly over the flame. Close the lid for 5-7 minutes to heat through. Open the lid, turn and grill until you get a good char and grill marks.
• Serve with with Garlic Aioli on the side.
• Roasted Garlic Aioli:Place the 6 whole cloves of garlic on 8” x 8” piece on tin foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the foil in a bundle and twist the top closed. Bake in a preheated oven at 357 degrees for 30-40 minutes or on the grill. Remove the packet and let the roasted garlic cool enough to handle.Place the mayonnaise in a small bowl. Whisk in the salt, pepper and lemon juice. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of the skin directly into the mayonnaise. Smash with a fork and mix to combine.