I love to eat artichokes every which way, but I must admit, getting my hands a little dirty pulling apart charred and dressed leaves might be my favorite. Here I steam the artichokes, marinate them in a lemony vinaigrette, then grill them until they are marked with a good sear. I toss them again and serve with juicy lemons that have also spent time on the grill. The artichokes are already smothered in vinaigrette, so no dipping sauce is required. They are perfectly messy, saucy, and delicious.
Ingredients
- 3 medium artichokes (stems attached), trimmed, peeled, quartered, and choke removed
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 large lemons, 1 halved and juiced, 1 quartered
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 0.33 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 0.125 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra to taste
- ½ cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
- Coarse or flaked sea salt to taste, for finishing
How to Make It
- Set a collapsible steamer basket in a large pot and add enough water to skim the bottom of the basket. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Place the artichokes in a shallow layer in the basket. Steam, covered, adding more water as needed, until the leaves release easily when pulled and the hearts are tender when pierced with a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, fine sea salt, ⅛ teaspoon of pepper, and three quarters of the parsley.
- Add the steamed artichokes to the lemon marinade and toss to distribute the marinade evenly. Let stand until the marinade has infused the artichokes, at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours. Alternatively, cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
- About 10 to 15 minutes before you plan to cook, heat a grill to medium-high heat.
- Use tongs to transfer the artichokes, cut side down, to the grill; keep the bowl of marinade next to the grill. Cook the artichokes until golden grill marks appear, 5 minutes, then flip them.
- Place the lemon quarters flesh side down on the grill. Cook the artichokes and lemons until they are lightly charred and the artichokes are completely tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the lemons to a serving platter. Return the artichokes to the bowl of marinade and toss to coat evenly. Arrange the artichokes on the serving platter, and sprinkle all with the remaining parsley, coarse or flaked sea salt, and additional pepper. Serve immediately.
