Grilled Artichokes
Just about everybody’s had an artichoke that has been boiled or steamed to death—served, of course, with the ubiquitous mayonnaise or melted butter dip. It’s how we all grew up.
But, if you are feeling a little more adventurous, try grilling these giant thistle-like buds. They work wonderfully as a light main course on a hot summer night or as a spectacular side to grilled steaks or chicken anytime.
Preparation is super simple, and you can jazz them up with just about any concoction that comes to mind. Try mixing together different herbs and spices, but throw a little heat in as well, like red pepper flakes or various hot pepper powders. For a really fast prep, or if you are on the road or camping, just sprinkle on a little McCormick’s Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning (my secret go-to spice), or something similar. Use it liberally, and it will give your artichokes tons of flavor. And they will look good to boot!
You might even say a little prayer of thanks, like I did.
Dear God,
Thank you!!! I don’t remember reading about it in the Bible and can’t recall it being foretold by ancient sages, but today I conquered the perfect grilled artichoke… and, yes, it was an experience of lifetime. Maybe not quite as monumental as the parting of the Red Sea, but since I was using a hotel barbecue and very miscellaneous accoutrements, it was about as good as, say, the Pyramids. So, thanks for inventing the artichoke.
Amen.
Ingredients
1 small artichoke per person
1 lemon
olive oil
salt
pepper
McCormick’s Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning
dipping condiments, like Basil Pesto
Instructions
Tear off the tough outer leaves of each artichoke, then cut off the pointed tip with a sharp knife. If you have gotten artichokes with a long stem, leave it intact, trimming off only the end. (A long stem is a delicious bonus that many people foolishly discard.) With a spoon, scoop out the small hairy choke just above the stem. It creates a nice cavity for extra spices.
Slice each artichoke in half lengthwise, right through the stem. Drizzle lemon juice on the cut side to keep it from browning. Don’t worry if you don’t have a lemon; once grilled, it’s hard to distinguish any unwanted browning from the desired grill marks.
Place the artichoke halves in boiling, salted water and cook until just tender, but still a little al dente, about 7 to 10 minutes for small artichokes. Pull the artichokes out of the water, place cut side down on a plate to drain and cool a bit, then slather on all sides with olive oil. Sprinkle your spice mixture or seasoning liberally over the entire artichoke.
Set artichokes cut side up on a hot grill, over direct heat. You are going for nice grill marks here, so don’t be bashful about the heat. After about 10 minutes, flip them, grill for another 5 to 6 minutes, and serve immediately with dipping condiments of your choice. Try basil pesto, with lots of Parmesan in it, for an unbelievable flavor combination.
And be careful. You may become so distracted, you forget all about those steaks on the grill.
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