Weekend Recipe: Roasted Artichokes
Cooking confession: we get a little scared when it comes to preparing whole artichokes. But now we've become fearless artichoke roasters, thanks to this simple Cook's Illustrated recipe. Serve it as an appetizer with lemon wedges, aïoli, or a homemade vinaigrette!
Roasted Artichokes
Serves 4
If your artichokes are larger than 8 to 10 ounces, strip away another layer or two of the toughest outer leaves. Use your teeth to scrape the flesh from the cooked tough outer leaves. The inner tender leaves, heart, and stem are entirely edible.
1 lemon, plus lemon wedges for serving
4 artichokes (8 to 10 ounces each)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Cut lemon in half, squeeze halves into 2 quarts water, and drop in spent halves.
Cut off most of stem of 1 artichoke, leaving about 3/4 inch attached. Cut off top quarter. Pull tough outer leaves downward toward stem and break off at base; continue until first three or four rows of leaves have been removed. Using paring knife, trim outer layer of stem and rough areas around base, removing any dark green parts. Cut artichoke in half lengthwise. Using spoon, remove fuzzy choke. Pull out inner, tiny purple-tinged leaves, leaving small cavity in center of each half. Drop prepped halves into lemon water. Repeat with remaining artichokes.
Brush 13 by 9-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon oil. Remove artichokes from lemon water, shaking off some excess lemon water (some should be left clinging to leaves). Toss artichokes with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 3/4 teaspoon salt and season with pepper to taste, gently working some oil and seasonings between leaves. Arrange artichoke halves cut side down in baking dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Roast until cut sides of artichokes start to brown and both bases and leaves are tender when poked with tip of paring knife, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer artichokes to serving dish. Serve artichokes warm or at room temperature, passing lemon wedges separately.