Oh my gosh are these artichokes addictive!! If you don’t think you like artichokes, you MUST make these fire roasted artichokes with garlic aioli. They’ll convert you for sure. The smoky flavor from the grill with that vinegary marinade, finished off with the garlicky aioli makes for one AMAZING bite!!!
Ya’ll. You know how sometimes there are no words to describe something because it’s just that good???? Well, this is one of those things right here. These artichokes=no words.
Years ago we went to the Cheesecake Factory when they first opened one in our area. This was during my BC days (before Celiac) so I could order what I wanted. We split an order of Fire Roasted Artichokes and they were unbelievably good!
Fast forward a couple of years and I really wanted those artichokes, but I couldn’t trust eating at the Cheesecake Factory so I tried to make them myself. My family thought they tasted JUST LIKE the ones from the CF!! We were all addicted.
Recently I made them again for I think my dad’s birthday, and he ate probably 15 quarters by himself! He loves them, and so do all of us.
If you’ve ever had artichokes before and you like them, these will become your new favorite. If you’ve never had artichokes before, this recipe right here is the one to start with. You’ll love them so much, you won’t know what hit you!
PREPARING ARTICHOKES
I’ve tried a couple different methods for cutting artichokes in the past, but found this one to be the best and easiest.
- Bring a large saucepan to a boil over high heat.
- Remove any small leaves from the stem and cut about 1/2-inch off the stem.
- Using a sharp knife, cut about one inch through the leaves off the top of the artichoke.
- When water is boiling, squeeze lemons before dropping them into the water, followed by the salt and the artichokes. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
- Using tongs, remove artichokes from water stem side up to let any water accumulated inside the leaves drain back into the pan.
- Place on paper-towel lined plate and allow to cool enough to cut.
- Cut each artichoke into quarters. Using a spoon (or a grapefruit spoon, which is PERFECT for this), remove the hairy choke and purplish leaves in the center and discard.
WHAT’S IN THE MARINADE
The marinade for these artichokes is so simple. It’s basically a balsamic vinaigrette. The bold flavors include:
- Balsamic vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh rosemary
- Salt and pepper
CAN I ROAST THESE IN THE OVEN INSTEAD OF ON A GRILL?
The grill gives the best smoky fire-grilled flavor, but if you can’t get to a grill or don’t want to, you can roast the artichokes at 400 degrees on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes, or until charred.
HOW TO MAKE THE GARLIC AIOLI
This dip is so easy, it takes minutes to prepare and you most likely have all the ingredients at your fingertips. Finely chop some fresh garlic and fresh parsley, add them to prepared mayonnaise with salt and pepper and a splash of lemon juice and voila!! Your aioli is all ready for dipping.
HOW TO EAT ARTICHOKES
Peeling the leaves off the artichokes one at a time, dip the inner portion of each leaf into the aioli and scrape your teeth along that inner portion. You’ll discard most of the leaf, until you get to the most inside part of the artichoke where the leaves are more tender and can be eaten whole.
After all leaves have been removed, you’ll be left with the glorious artichoke heart that can be eaten whole, stem and all. Dip it in the aioli first of course to get all that garlicky yumminess!
If you’re scared of working with artichokes, this method is so much simpler than you would think. And the payoff is INCREDIBLE!!! I think my family could dump these artichokes out onto a table as if they were blue crab and pick and eat them all day long, haha!!
Fire Roasted Artichokes with Garlic Aioli
Ingredients
- 4 globe artichokes
- 2 lemons, sliced in half
- salt for water, about 1 tbsp
- ½ cup (120 ml) balsamic vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 cup (240 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp black pepper
- salt to taste
GARLIC AIOLI:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or substitute roasted garlic
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- milk to thin if desired
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Trim the stems (about ½ inch) and about 1 inch from the tops.
- Bring a gallon of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Squeeze lemon halves into water and add to water, along with trimmed artichokes. Simmer artichokes and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Remove artichokes with tongs and let any excess water drip from tops. Drain on paper towels and set aside until cool enough to handle.
- Cut each artichoke in half and then in half again. Remove the hairy choke using a spoon or grapefruit spoon and discard. Set aside in large bowl or large gallon ziptop bag.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, 4 cloves of garlic, rosemary, olive oil, pepper, and salt to taste. Pour over the artichokes and toss together to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare garlic aioli. In small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, salt & pepper. To thin out, if needed, add a few dashes of milk and stir.
- Prepare gas or charcoal grill for high heat.
- Using tongs, place the artichokes on the grill and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side until well charred.
- Remove from the grill and drizzle with remaining marinade. Serve warm with garlic aioli.
Adapted from Caprial’s Cafe Favorites.