Roasted Artichoke with Garlic Butter
If I were a rich lass, I'd eat artichokes all day and all night.
I'd just sit there...
...dipping a petal in butter...
...and then another...
Years would go by, and yet still, I'd sit there with my unlimited supply of artichokes. Dipping. Savoring. Pickin' that bad boy apart like a ravenous monkey. So when I felt like splurging at the market the other day, I came home with a bag of artichokes and a happy heart. A happy, ravenous monkey heart.
Thus far, I'd only cooked artichokes one way: steamed. And I'll be danged if they ain't the most delicious thing in the world.
Yet still, I am ever-longing to expand my culinary horizons, and thus decided to roast the artichokes for a different experience.
Let's just say I surely wasn't disappointed.
Should you find yourself in possession of this delectable green delicacy, might I invite you to give this recipe a whirl? And then bring some over to share with me?
Please and thank you.
Ah, yes, hello, choke. See that fuzzy bit? That's the choke. We don't want to eat that... it'll, ya know, make us choke or something. So instead, we're going to use a pairing knife (like this one) to cut alongside the bottom of the fuzz and remove it like so:
See? All clean. That bottom bit is the artichoke heart. That's the motherload. Mmm, mmm, mmm.
If I were on death row, I think I'd request an artichoke with garlic butter for my last supper.
Do they do that still? Or is that just something they do in the Hollywood movies?
Regardless, I'd still request an artichoke. And a steak. And spaghetti. And fish tacos. And a glass of wine. And probably a London Fog, too.
At which point, they'd probably remind me that I was on death row, and that I would not be receiving any of said foods.
Luckily for me, I'm still a free woman (FREEEEEEEEEEDOMMMM!!!!! William Wallace, anyone?) and I eagerly anticipate the food goodness that I'm allowed to enjoy as a free woman. Like roasted artichokes with garlic butter, for example.
Are you a free woman? Er, man? Er, person?
Then go get you some artichoke goodness. It's one of life's great pleasures.
Roasted Artichokes
Ingredients:
2 large artichokes
1 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp olive oil
2-4 tbsp garlic butter
Instructions:
Cut the stems off the artichokes.
Using a pair of scissors, cut the pokey points off the artichoke petals.
Using a sharp knife (I use this one), cut the artichokes in half. Ah, yes, hello, choke. See that fuzzy bit? That's the choke. We don't want to eat that… it'll, ya know, make us choke or something. So instead, we're going to use a pairing knife (like this one) to cut alongside the bottom of the fuzz and remove it.
Slice the artichoke halves in half, once again, if desired. Then, place in a cast-iron skillet. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the sea salt.
Bake in a preheated 300-degree oven until soft and lightly golden.
Once the artichokes are tender, top with the garlic butter and serve. The petals can be individually removed, and the bottoms eaten. The heart, drizzled in garlic butter, is one of my top five favorite foods in the entire world. Lawd, have mercy.
