I love artichokes, but have typically eaten them steamed or roasted. Since the weather here is finally getting nice, my husband and I decided it would be a nice night to grill. So we decided to experiment with grilled artichokes. We also grilled some salmon along with these this night, and paired all of this with my steel cut oat risotto. Fancyyyyy, I know.
Artichokes are FAB for you. They are low calorie, fat free, good source of fiber, good source of vitamin C, good source of folate, AND a good source of magnesium! A large artichoke contains only 25 calories. Several studies have shown that artichokes contain an unusually amount of anti-oxidants and in a study done by the United States Department of Agriculture, artichokes rank as the number one vegetable in ant-oxidant count. Some research even shows that artichokes can help to cure hangovers so… need I say more?!
Grilled Artichokes
Ingredients:
- 2 large artichokes
- 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Trim leaves from the top of an artichoke. Remove the outer layers of leaves from the stem end and snip all remaining spiky tips from the outer leaves. Trim an inch off the bottom of the stem. Cut in half lengthwise. Place into boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes. Drain.
- In a bowl, combine juice from lemon, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Brush artichokes with the olive oil dip and place onto pre-heated grill.
- Grill artichokes for 5-10 minutes, basting with dip and turning frequently. Artichokes are done when tips are a bit charred. Serve with remaining dip.
