Crispy Fried Artichokes

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (at least 5-quart capacity)
• •Deep-fry or candy thermometer
• •Spider skimmer or large slotted spoon
• •Wire cooling rack set over a sheet pan

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare acidulated water

   Fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze in the juice of one lemon, dropping the spent halves in as well. This acidulated bath prevents the artichokes from oxidizing to an unappetizing brown. Work quickly once you start trimming. The clock starts ticking the moment you cut.

   Some cooks add a splash of white wine to the water. It doesn't hurt, but the lemon does the real work.
2. 2

   Trim the artichokes

   Working with one artichoke at a time, snap off the dark outer leaves until you reach the pale yellow-green tender ones. Cut off the top third of the artichoke with a sharp knife. Trim the stem to about an inch, then use a vegetable peeler to remove the fibrous outer layer of the stem. If the artichoke is larger than a golf ball, cut it in half lengthwise and scrape out any fuzzy choke with a spoon. True baby artichokes have no choke. Drop each prepared artichoke immediately into the lemon water.

3. 3

   Open the artichokes

   Remove the artichokes from the water and shake off excess moisture. Turn each artichoke stem-side up and press firmly against your cutting board with the heel of your hand, spreading the leaves outward like a flower opening. You want them flattened but not broken apart. The leaves should fan out while the heart stays intact. This shape exposes maximum surface area to the hot oil.

   Traditional Roman cooks press them against a marble slab. Your countertop works fine. The goal is a flattened disc of overlapping leaves.
4. 4

   Dry thoroughly

   Pat each artichoke completely dry with paper towels or clean kitchen towels. This step is not optional. Water and hot oil create violent spattering. Take your time. Get between the leaves. The artichokes should feel papery before they touch the oil. Season them lightly with kosher salt and pepper.

5. 5

   Heat oil for first fry

   Pour the oil into a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. You want at least three inches of oil depth. Attach a deep-fry thermometer and heat over medium flame to 275°F. This relatively low temperature will cook the artichokes through without burning the delicate leaf tips. Line a sheet pan with paper towels and set a wire rack on top.

6. 6

   First fry: cook through

   Working in batches of four or five to avoid crowding, lower the artichokes into the oil stem-side up. The oil will bubble enthusiastically. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally with a spider or slotted spoon, until the artichokes are tender when pierced with a knife and light golden. The leaves won't be crispy yet. That comes later. Transfer to the wire rack and let them drain and cool. Bring the oil back to 275°F between batches.

   You can complete this first fry up to four hours ahead. Leave the artichokes at room temperature on the rack. They'll wait patiently for their second bath.
7. 7

   Second fry: achieve crispness

   When ready to serve, heat the oil to 350°F. This higher temperature creates the shattering crunch. Working in batches again, lower the pre-fried artichokes back into the oil. Stand back. They'll sputter. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until deep golden brown and the outer leaves turn translucent and crackling. The transformation is dramatic. What went in soft comes out crisp as autumn leaves.

8. 8

   Season and serve

   Transfer the hot artichokes to a clean paper towel-lined platter. Season immediately with flaky sea salt while the oil glistens on the surface. The salt will adhere and dissolve slightly, becoming part of the crust. Arrange on a warm platter, stem ends pointing upward like golden flowers. Serve with lemon wedges alongside. These wait for no one. Eat them hot.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out baby artichokes no larger than a small lemon. True babies have no developed choke, which means less trimming and no waste. They appear in markets from March through May and again briefly in fall. Frozen artichoke hearts make a reasonable substitution for weeknight cooking, though they'll never achieve the same dramatic presentation.
• •Peanut oil withstands high heat without smoking and imparts no flavor of its own. Vegetable oil works adequately. Olive oil, despite its Mediterranean authenticity, has too low a smoke point for this double-frying method. Save the good olive oil for drizzling after.
• •The double-fry technique borrowed from French frites is ancient kitchen wisdom. The first bath cooks. The second crisps. Together they achieve what neither could alone: creamy interiors and shatteringly crisp exteriors.
• •In Rome, these are served as a first course during the fall artichoke season. At Hanukkah tables, they take their place alongside latkes and sufganiyot, all fried foods celebrating the miracle of oil. Serve them family-style on a large platter, letting guests pull off leaves like petals.
• •Pair with a crisp white wine from the Italian Jewish tradition. Verdicchio or Greco di Tufo both have the acidity to cut through the richness of fried foods.

Advance Preparation

• •Artichokes can be trimmed, pressed flat, and held in acidulated water up to 6 hours ahead. Dry them thoroughly before frying.
• •The first fry can be completed up to 4 hours before serving. Leave the par-fried artichokes at room temperature on a wire rack.
• •The second fry must happen just before serving. There is no way around this. Crispness fades within minutes. Plan your timing so guests are seated and ready when the artichokes emerge from the oil.
• •For large gatherings, set up your frying station near the dining area. A portable butane burner allows you to fry tableside if your kitchen is too far away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 190g)