Grilled Artichokes With Lemon Aioli
Simplicity is key when it comes to artichokes. These are grilled with olive oil and garlic, and served with classic lemon aioli. You can use large globe artichokes or baby ones for this recipe; if you are lucky, you will find artichokes with a couple inches of the stalk attached...the best part, in my opinion.
For the grilled artichokes:
4 large globe artichokes
1 lemon, quartered
¾ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
Salt and pepper
Trim the artichokes: Remove all the tough outer leaves and then, with a very sharp knife, cut off the top of the choke (about an inch) to remove the sharp tips, peel the stalk with a vegetable peeler. Cut the choke in half lengthwise. With a spoon, scoop out the hairy choke, but be careful not to remove the heart. Put the chokes in a bowl with some lemon juice so they do not turn brown. Heat your grill to high. In a pot of water, squeeze half of the lemon. Add the chokes and simmer for about 10 minutes until they are tender. You can also steam them, if you prefer. Remove the chokes from the water and drain. Mix together the oil and garlic, then brush the mixture on the artichokes and place them on the hot grill. Continue to brush the chokes with the garlic-oil mixture and keep turning them so that they do not burn. After a few minutes, remove them from the grill. Sprinkle with a little sea salt.
For the tarragon-lemon aioli:
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 fresh egg yolks (at room temperature)
1 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Place the tarragon leaves, garlic cloves, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Add the egg yolks and continue to pulse. When the egg yolks are incorporated, SLOWLY start to add the olive oil a few drops at a time; this will start to emulsify. When all the olive oil has been added and you have a beautiful green mayonnaise, add the lemon juice and incorporate it into the emulsion. This can definitely be made ahead of time and is also delicious on basically all other grilled vegetables (fennel, potatoes, squash, etc.)
About the Chef
Stephanie Goldfarb is a Chicago-based chef and national food television personality specializing in seasonal, globally-inspired cuisine. Recognized as the winner of Food Network’s America’s Best Cook competition, and a celebrity chef on Kitchen Inferno and NBC’s Food Fighters, Goldfarb delivers unique and relatable culinary experiences to discriminating and casual diners alike. As the owner of the successful Seven Species Supper Club & Catering, she enjoys the challenge of building brand new menus each month that inspire both repeat clients and newcomers, and seeks opportunities to utilize new ingredients, techniques, and approaches in accessible ways.