Artichokes with Aioli Time: 45 minutes
The artichokes take about 45 minutes to steam. This can be done anytime and the
artichokes can be served warm or cold.
2 globe artichokes
lemon juice
aioli - garlic mayonnaise
Cut off bottoms of artichokes and remove any tough lower leaves. Dip in water to which a couple tbs of lemon juice has been added (to prevent discoloration). For a nicer presentation cut off the tips of the bottom half of the leaves - using a scissors. Cut the top 1/3rd of the artichoke off and discard. Don't worry about the choke (fuzzy hairs inside) Put in steamer and steam 35 - 45 minutes. Aioli - garlic mayonnaise, can be found in the gourmet section of most supermarkets. Serve artichokes with small dipping bowl of aioli, pulling the leaves off, dipping and scraping the edible flesh off of the tough leaf with your teeth. Have a bowl for the discarded leaves and have a small, sharp knife handy so that when you get all of the leaves off and are at the fuzzy choke you can cut it off and enjoy the bottom.
Note: if the Aioli (you may also see it as Ailioli) is too strong for your taste you can add a good olive oil to it and whisk to incorporate or add some regular mayo. After being in Spain we love it...on chips, fish, bread...
Or, if you prefer to make your own
Homemade Aioli (blender method)
4 large cloves of garlic, peeled
1/3 tsp salt
1 large or 2 small egg yolks
2/3 cups good extra virgin olive oil
Place garlic and salt in mortar and mash until you have a thick, smooth paste. Scrape it all into a blender. Add egg. Turn the machine on and, very slowly, drizzle in the olive oil, blending until you have the right consistency.
Cooking for Two? Or more?
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