Artichokes with lemon

The pairing of artichokes and lemon juice is more popular than ever, and featured in appetizers, first courses, and snacks for happy hour with friends. Our light and healthy version of artichokes with lemon, and a pleasant minty aroma, can be served as a side dish or by itself, as a vegetarian second course.

Ingredients

  • 4 artichokes
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 1 bunch of parsley
  • A few mint or spearmint leaves
  • Lemon juice (3 tablespoons for the recipe, plus a few tablespoons to acidify the artichokes water)
  • 80 ml extra-virgin olive oil
  • Water (about 200-250 ml)
  • Salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste

Preparation

Start by thoroughly cleaning the artichokes. Remove the darker, tough outer leaves, and then cut off the top of each artichoke, spoon out the inner beard, and trim the stem. To keep your hands from getting stained, wear disposable gloves or spray some lemon juice on your hands. Once prepped, place the artichokes in a bowl of water acidified with at least 3-4 tablespoons of lemon juice. Wash and finely chop the parsley, mint and garlic. Put them in a bowl, add a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper and mix everything together. Drain the artichokes to remove excess water and then use the aromatic mixture to stuff them, gently prying open the artichokes to ensure the mix gets between the leaves. Next, take a high-sided pan and arrange the artichokes in it face down. Add water till it reaches the bottom of the stems, and then add 80 ml of extra-virgin olive oil and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to the water in the pan. Cover the pan, and cook on low heat for about 30 minutes. When done, remove the artichokes from the water with a skimmer (strainer ladle), and serve them warm.