Best Artichokes Braised In Olive Oil Recipes

ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS BRAISED IN OLIVE OIL WITH GARLIC AND MINT

Steps:

• Keep stem attached and, at opposite end, cut off top inch of 1 artichoke with a serrated knife. Bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base, then discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until you reach pale yellow leaves with pale green tips.
• Cut remaining leaves flush with top of artichoke bottom using a sharp knife, then pull out purple leaves and scoop out fuzzy choke with melon-ball cutter. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and sides of artichoke with a sharp paring knife, then rub cut surfaces with a lemon half.
• Cut 1/4 inch from end of stem to expose inner core. Trim sides of stem (still attached) down to pale inner core. Rub cut surfaces with same lemon half.
• Trim remaining artichokes in same manner.
• Put water and oil in a 4-quart heavy pot.
• Mince and mash garlic with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, then mix in mint. Rub one sixth of garlic paste into cavity of each artichoke, then stand artichokes upside down in liquid in pot. Sprinkle remaining teaspoon salt over artichokes, then simmer, covered, over low heat, until tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Transfer artichokes to a serving dish and boil cooking liquid, whisking, until emulsified and reduced to about 1/3 cup. Pour sauce over artichokes and serve warm or at room temperature.

BRAISED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Fill a large bowl with water. Cut 2 of the lemons in half, squeeze the lemon into the water, and drop the lemon halves into the water.
• Remove the outer leaves from the artichokes until you are left with only the light green centers. Cut off and discard the tough stem ends of the artichokes, leaving as much as 1 or 2 inches of stem attached. Using a vegetable peeler or a small sharp knife, shave the artichoke stems, revealing the light green inner stems. Cut 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch off the tip ends of the artichoke leaves so they have flat tops and discard all of the trimmed leaves and bits. Place the trimmed artichokes in the lemon water as you finish them. (You can prepare the artichokes to this point up to a day in advance. Leave them in the lemon-water until you're ready to braise them.)
• Pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil into a large sauté pan; add the onion and garlic, season with salt, and cook over high heat for about 2 minutes, until the onion just begins to soften. Add the artichokes and season with salt. Turn off the heat. Pour in enough olive oil to cover the artichokes; the amount will vary depending on the size of the pan you're cooking them in. Squeeze the remaining lemon into the pan with the artichokes and drop the squeezed halves into the olive oil. Add the rosemary sprigs. Place a large paper coffee filter or a piece of cheesecloth on top of the artichokes and pat it down to saturate the paper or cloth with the oil so that it rests directly on the surface of the oil to help keep the artichokes submerged. Turn the heat on high to heat the oil until it begins to boil just around the edges of the pot; you don't want the oil at a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook the artichokes without tending them for 25 to 35 minutes, until they are just barely tender when pierced with a small, sharp knife; they will continue gently cooking as they sit in the oil, making them very tender and buttery. Remove the pot from the heat, remove and discard the coffee filter or cheesecloth, and let the artichokes cool in the oil to room temperature. Drain the artichokes in a colander, reserving the oil. Remove and discard the onion, garlic, and lemon. Store the artichokes in the oil and transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week. Bring the artichokes to room temperature and drain before using them.

ARTICHOKES BRAISED IN LEMON AND OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• Trim artichokes into hearts:
• Add lemon halves to a large bowl of cold water, squeezing to release juice.
• Cut off top inch of 1 artichoke and bend back outer leaves until they snap off close to base (keep stem attached). Discard several more layers in same manner until you reach pale yellow leaves.
• Cut remaining leaves flush with top of artichoke bottom using a sharp knife. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and sides of artichoke.
• Peel sides of stem down to pale inner core. Put in lemon water while preparing remaining artichokes.
• Cook shallots, carrot, garlic, and seeds in 1/4 cup oil in a 4-to 5-quart heavy pot (pot should be wide enough to hold artichokes in 1 layer with stems pointing upward) over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Add water, zest, and 3 tablespoons lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Stand artichokes in pot and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover artichokes with wax paper, then a lid, and simmer over medium-low heat until bases are just tender when pierced with a knife, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Transfer artichokes to a dish and reserve cooking liquid. When artichokes are cool enough to handle, halve lengthwise. Scoop out and discard inner choke (fuzzy center and any sharp leaves).
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown cut sides of artichokes in 2 batches, about 2 minutes per batch, transferring to a serving dish. Add reserved cooking liquid to skillet along with remaining tablespoon lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Boil vigorously 3 minutes, then stir in parsley and pour over artichokes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

BRAISED GREEK ARTICHOKE BOTTOMS WITH LEMON AND OLIVE OIL

Steps:

• Fill a bowl with water and add the juice of 1 lemon. Cut away the end of the stems of the artichokes, leaving about an inch. Break off the tough leaves around the bottom, and using a large, sharp chef's knife, cut away the tops about an inch above the widest part of the artichoke. Then trim the base by holding a paring knife at a 45-degree angle and turning the artichoke against the knife. You should end up with bare artichoke bottoms with no leaves and smooth sides. Peel the stems. Cut the artichoke bottom in half, scoop out the spiny inner leaves and the choke, and immediately plunge it into the bowl of acidulated water.
• Oil a large casserole. Drain the artichokes, take two halves and press them together to make a single artichoke, and place in the casserole, stem up. Repeat with the remaining artichokes, squeezing them into the pot with their stems facing up.
• Add enough water to the casserole to come a third of the way up the sides of the artichoke bottoms. Drizzle in the remaining lemon juice and the olive oil. Add salt to taste and sprinkle on the dill. Bring to a simmer, cover tightly and simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until the artichokes are tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then transfer to a platter. Discard the liquid in the pot. Serve cold or room temperature, garnished, if desired, with fresh dill.

BRAISED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• 1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
• 2. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring, for about 30 seconds.
• 3. Add the artichokes and toss until they're coated with oil.
• 4. Add the wine, mint or thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• 5. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
• 6. Discard the thyme (if using).
• 7. Transfer the artichokes to a plate, drizzle them with pan juices, and serve.

ARTICHOKES BRAISED WITH GARLIC AND THYME

Steps:

• Working with 1 artichoke at a time, cut off top inch of artichoke and gently pull open center. Scoop out sharp leaves and fuzzy choke from center with a melon-ball cutter or a spoon. Trim bottom 1/4 inch of stem (if present), keeping stem attached, and peel stem. Put artichoke in a large bowl of cold water. Repeat with remaining artichokes.
• Remove artichokes from water and push 3 parsley sprigs into center of each. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in pot over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then add artichokes, thyme sprigs, garlic, 1/4 cup water, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover pot and braise artichokes, turning occasionally, until artichokes are browned in spots and bases are tender when pierced with a knife, about 35 minutes.
• Transfer artichokes, thyme, and garlic to a platter. Add remaining 3/4 cup water to pot and deglaze by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute. Pour pan juices (they will be dark) into a small bowl and stir in extra-virgin olive oil and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Squeeze pulp from 2 of garlic cloves into juices and mash into sauce with a fork.
• Divide artichokes and remaining garlic cloves among 6 plates and drizzle with sauce. Garlic cloves can be peeled and spread on crusty bread.

BRAISED ARTICHOKES WITH TOMATOES AND MINT

Steps:

• Place tomatoes in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot, crushing with your hands; add wine, red pepper flakes, 2 tsp. salt, 1/2 cup oil, and 2 cups water; set aside.
• Pulse anchovies and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add mint and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the motor running, stream in remaining 1/2 cup oil; process until a coarse paste forms. Set pesto aside.
• Remove several layers of dark-green outer leaves from artichokes (keep going until you get to the tender light-green leaves). Using a serrated knife, cut off top 1" of artichokes and trim stem ends. Rub cut ends with lemon halves to prevent browning. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, use a paring knife or vegetable peeler to remove tough outer green layer from base and stem to reveal pale-green underneath; rub all over with lemon. Halve through stem and rub cut sides with more lemon. Use a spoon to scoop out choke, then pull out spiky inner leaves; rub insides with lemon. Rub reserved pesto all over artichoke halves and place artichokes in a single layer inside reserved pot, submerging in tomato mixture.
• Bring to a simmer over medium-low and cook, turning artichokes occasionally, until hearts are fork-tender, 55-65 minutes. Transfer artichokes to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm.
• Increase heat to medium, bring sauce to a boil, and cook until slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Spoon over artichokes.