Artichokes offer a great deal of nutrition in a small package. If you’re just starting out with this versatile vegetable, consider starting with the canned or jarred version, preferably jarred in brine. Canned and jarred artichokes can be preserved in oil or in brine. If you find a recipe you want to try, artichokes packed in oil can add more fat than you want in your recipe. For example, if the recipe calls for butter or oil and you’re cooking with artichokes packed in oil, start on very low heat and reduce the total amount of fat.
Artichokes offer Folate, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, and magnesium. This veggie is often paired with cheese, so you’ve also got calcium built in. Your family will love these dips, casseroles and artichoke bread. Even better, the roasted artichokes offer tremendous flavor with just butter, salt and pepper.
Artichoke Casserole
For a yummy side dish, you’ll need
- 3 cans of water packed artichoke
- 15 ounces of breadcrumbs
- 1 cup olive oil
- 3 ounces grated parmesan cheese
As the oven preheats to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, drain your artichokes into a strainer over a bigger bowl so you can reuse the liquid. Cut the artichokes small and fine. If you notice any fibrous pieces, consider putting the bigger chunks through the food processor. Mix the bread crumbs and olive oil into the chopped artichokes. Add a bit of salt and cayenne pepper to taste, then mix in the reserved liquid until the crumbs and veggies are moist. Add the cheese into the mix at this point. Put the mixture in an 8 x 8 baking dish. If you need to go with a bigger pan, take a few minutes off the 45 minute baking time. The edges will crisp and brown when it’s ready to come out.
Roasted Artichokes
As the world has fallen in love with brussel sprouts, the world is going wild for homemade fresh artichokes. To roast fresh artichokes, you will need to be ready to actually discard quite a bit of the plant. Cut the stem close to the base, peel away the outer leaves until you reach the pale yellow center. Cut the fuzzy center out and toss it. Discard everything but the yellow center.
Boil up a large pot of water with 1 tbsp lemon juice. Boil the artichoke hearts for 10 minutes, drain and pat them dry. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the boiled artichoke hearts with four unskinned garlic cloves and 1/3 cup olive oil. Space them separately on a baking sheet and season to taste with pepper and salt. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. Pull the garlic cloves out and squeeze them into a separate bowl, mashing the flesh with a fork. Mix in 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1 tbsp lemon juice to the mashed garlic. Serve the hot roasted artichoke hearts with your freshly made garlic aioli on the side.
Artichoke Bread
If you’d love to turn the popular artichoke dip into a delicious main dish, start with a loaf of French bread cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the core of the bread, leaving a sturdy 1 inch shell of bread. Save half of the cored bread for this recipe and save the rest for crumbs.
Additional ingredients are
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 14 ounce can of artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped fine
- 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
While the oven preheats to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, melt the butter in a skillet. Add the garlic and sesame seeds and sauté gently until the garlic starts to brown. Take the pan off the heat and stir in everything but the cheddar cheese, including half of the bread your initially scooped out. Stir this mixture until the bread is fully incorporated, then spoon the mixture back into the hollowed out bread. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top of the mixture.
Make sure you bake this in a deep enough pan that you can cover it with foil for the first round of baking. It needs to stay covered for 25 minutes, then pull the cover or foil and bake for 5 more minutes. Allow it to cool a bit, then slice and serve.
Whether you cook with canned or fresh artichokes, be willing to toss the woody parts of the plant. In form, fresh artichokes are similar to pine cones in terms of the growth pattern. If you cook your fresh artichoke and note that a portion of it is too fibrous, don’t be afraid to toss more of the outer edge of this delicious vegetable. It’s completely worth the effort!
