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Braised Baby Artichokes with Lemon
Created by
Tender baby artichokes braised slowly in good olive oil until they yield to a fork, brightened with lemon and sea salt, nothing more. This is what spring tastes like when you let the ingredient lead.
Appetizers & Snacks
Mediterranean
Dinner Party
Special Occasion
25 min
Active Time
35 min cook•1 hr total
Yield4 servings
The artichoke is a thistle. People forget this. It grows wild along the California coast, and when you find the babies in spring, small enough to fit in your palm, they are one of the purest pleasures the season offers.
Baby artichokes have not yet developed the fuzzy choke that makes their larger siblings so labor-intensive. You trim them, braise them gently in olive oil, and they become silky and sweet. The technique is almost nothing. The sourcing is everything.
Find a farmer who grows them. Ask when they were picked. They should feel heavy and tight, with leaves that squeak when you press them together. If the outer leaves look dry or have started to spread open, the artichoke is tired. Wait for the next market day.
Every meal is a meaningful choice. When you buy these from someone who grew them, you keep that farm alive. You also get to taste what an artichoke is supposed to taste like: nutty, faintly sweet, with a mineral quality that disappears entirely once it has traveled too far.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
baby artichokes
Quantity
2 pounds (about 16 small)
lemons
Quantity
2
divided
extra-virgin olive oil
Quantity
1/2 cup, plus more for finishing
garlic cloves
Quantity
4
smashed
dry white wine
Quantity
1/2 cup
water or light vegetable stock
Quantity
1 cup
fine sea salt
Quantity
1 teaspoon, plus more to taste
black pepper
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground
fresh thyme
Quantity
2 sprigs
bay leaf
Quantity
1
fresh flat-leaf parsley
Quantity
2 tablespoons
roughly chopped
flaky sea salt
Quantity
for finishing
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| baby artichokes | 2 pounds (about 16 small) |
| lemonsdivided | 2 |
| extra-virgin olive oil | 1/2 cup, plus more for finishing |
| garlic clovessmashed | 4 |
| dry white wine | 1/2 cup |
| water or light vegetable stock | 1 cup |
| fine sea salt | 1 teaspoon, plus more to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | 1/4 teaspoon |
| fresh thyme | 2 sprigs |
| bay leaf | 1 |
| fresh flat-leaf parsleyroughly chopped | 2 tablespoons |
| flaky sea salt | for finishing |
Equipment Needed
- •Large bowl for acidulated water
- •Vegetable peeler
- •Heavy skillet or braiser with lid (10-12 inch)
- •Paring knife
Instructions
- 1
Prepare acidulated water
Fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze in the juice of one lemon. Drop in the squeezed lemon halves. This prevents the artichokes from browning the moment you cut them. Work quickly, but do not rush. The artichokes are patient.
- 2
Trim the artichokes
Snap off the dark outer leaves until you reach the pale yellow-green heart. They release easily when you pull down and away. Cut about half an inch from the top to remove the thorny tips. Trim the stem, leaving about an inch attached, then peel the tough outer layer with a vegetable peeler. Halve each artichoke lengthwise and drop immediately into the lemon water.
Baby artichokes should not have a developed choke. If you see any fuzzy fibers in the center, scrape them out with a small spoon. Most will not need this. - 3
Warm the oil and aromatics
Pour the olive oil into a large, heavy skillet or braiser with a lid. Set it over medium-low heat. Add the smashed garlic cloves and let them warm gently in the oil until fragrant and just barely golden, about three minutes. You are not frying the garlic. You are infusing the oil.
- 4
Add the artichokes
Drain the artichokes well and pat them dry with a clean towel. Wet artichokes will spatter in hot oil. Add them to the skillet cut-side down in a single layer. Let them sizzle gently for three to four minutes until the cut sides turn golden. The kitchen should smell green and alive.
- 5
Braise until tender
Pour in the white wine. It will bubble and steam. Add the water or stock, salt, pepper, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. The liquid should come about halfway up the artichokes. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low. Braise for twenty to twenty-five minutes, turning once, until a knife slides easily into the thickest part of the heart.
Do not let the liquid boil vigorously. A gentle simmer protects the texture. You want them tender, not falling apart. - 6
Reduce and finish
Remove the lid and increase heat to medium. Let the braising liquid reduce by half, about five minutes, basting the artichokes occasionally. The sauce will thicken slightly and coat the artichokes with a glossy sheen. Remove thyme stems and bay leaf.
- 7
Brighten with lemon
Transfer the artichokes to a warm serving platter, cut-side up. Squeeze the juice of half the remaining lemon over them. Taste. Add more if the dish needs it. The lemon should wake everything up without shouting. Drizzle with fresh olive oil, scatter the parsley, and finish with flaky sea salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.
These are better at room temperature than straight from the pan. Letting them rest for ten minutes allows the flavors to settle and the lemon to meld with the oil.
Chef Tips
- •Seek out baby artichokes in early spring, March through May in California. They should feel heavy and tight, with leaves that squeak when pressed. If they look tired, they are.
- •Use olive oil you would eat on bread. The artichokes will taste like it. This is not the place for neutral oil or anything you would not want to drink from a spoon.
- •Save the outer leaves for stock. They have flavor even if they are too tough to eat. Waste is a sign of disconnection from the food.
- •If you cannot find baby artichokes, use the hearts of larger ones, but know you will spend more time trimming and will miss the sweetness of the young ones.
Advance Preparation
- •Artichokes can be trimmed and held in lemon water for up to two hours before cooking. Do not leave them longer or they will absorb too much water.
- •The finished dish keeps refrigerated for two days. Bring to room temperature before serving, or warm gently in a low oven. Add fresh lemon and parsley just before serving.
- •The braising liquid, strained and reduced further, makes a beautiful sauce for pasta or spooned over grilled bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 160g)
Calories
340 calories
Total Fat
24 g
Saturated Fat
4 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
19 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
745 mg
Total Carbohydrates
21 g
Dietary Fiber
9 g
Sugars
1 g
Protein
6 g
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