GRILLED BABY ARTICHOKES
with zesty vinaigrette
PREP TIME
1 hour
ACTIVE TIME
20 minutes
TOTAL TIME
1 hour 30 minutes
MODERATE
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons
6 pounds baby artichokes (50 to 60)
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup chopped fresh chives
¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Allium blossoms, for garnish (optional)
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
outdoor grill or grill pan
1. Heat an outdoor grill to high or heat a grill pan over high heat. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil (the water should taste like the sea).
2. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Halve one of the lemons and squeeze the juice into the water, then toss in the lemon halves, too.
3. Working with one artichoke at a time, trim off the tip of the stem and remove a couple of layers of the tough outer leaves until you get to the tender, lighter green leaves. Cut off ¾ inch from the pointy end of the artichoke, then use a vegetable peeler to trim around the base to remove any tough, dark green areas. Slice the artichoke in half lengthwise and place it in the lemony water to prevent browning. Repeat with the remaining artichokes. Once you have all the artichokes prepped, remove them from the lemon water and add them to the boiling water. Cook until a paring knife slips easily into the base of the artichoke, about 8 minutes. Drain the artichokes in a colander and transfer them to a baking sheet to cool.
4. While the artichokes cook, zest and juice the remaining lemon into a medium bowl (you should have about ¼ cup juice). While whisking, add the olive oil, Dijon mustard, 1½ teaspoons salt, and a few cracks of black pepper.
5. Once the artichokes are cool enough to handle, place them in a large bowl with half the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Use tongs to transfer them to the hot grill and cook them until dark grill marks appear, 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Use tongs to return the grilled artichokes to the bowl.
6. Whisk the chives, mint, and red pepper flakes into the remaining vinaigrette, then toss with the grilled artichokes. Transfer to a platter and serve warm, garnished with allium blossoms, if you like.
Look for larger baby artichokes, since a lot gets carved away. It’s a lot of labor, but worth it. Those purple flowers you see are allium (onion) blossoms—look for them at specialty grocers and farmers’ markets.