Grilled Artichokes

Normally, we boil our artichokes whole and eat them leaf-by-leaf, until we reach the scrumptious artichoke bottom, which is like heaven on a plate. Grilled artichokes were only something I had a restaurants... until Giada (who I am slightly infatuated with) showed me how easy it can be to do it yourself!

Grilled Artichokes
(Print Recipe)
Thank you Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients
2 lemons, quartered
2 large artichokes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or dried rosemary leaves

salt and pepper

lemon wedges and melted vegan butter for serving

Directions

In an 8-quart saucepan, bring 8 cups water to a boil over high heat. Juice the lemons into the water and add the squeezed lemon shells. Using kitchen scissors, remove the thorns from the tips of the artichoke leaves. Cut the artichoke stems to 1/2-inch long. Cut each artichoke into 8 wedges and, using a paring knife, remove the fuzzy choke. Place the artichokes in the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and steam until the artichoke hearts are tender, about 20 minutes. Using tongs, remove the artichokes and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Drizzle both sides of the artichokes with olive oil and season with salt and teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle with the chopped garlic and rosemary. Grill, cut-side-down, until lightly charred, 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Arrange the artichokes on a platter and serve with lemon wedges and melted vegan butter.

Before the grill:

The grill left delicious char-marks!

Can I just say... oh.my.goodness. I could eat these every night this week. I love everything about them- The garlic & rosemary flavors, the smokiness the grill gives them, the heavenly taste of artichoke bottom you get in every bite... who could resist?

I served these with a simple chickpea salad. I just mixed a can of chickpeas (rinsed and drained) with fresh chopped tomatoes and cucumbers. I drizzled it with 1/4 cup of white balsamic vinegar and added fresh basil, salt and pepper. What an easy and fresh tasting side to compliment these grilled taste sensations!

If you need me, I'll be at the grill.

Every night. Making my new favorites.

 Or at least... in my dreams.

White Bean and Artichoke Salad

Is it really August already? It feels like it was June yesterday. The summers especially fly by for me, since I am a teacher and on summer vacation. Vacation days are always shorter than work days. To celebrate the flavors of summer today, I made this bean, veggie, and herb salad. Simple summer flavors come together so easily when you have just completed your grocery/farmer's market shopping for the week. I had a hard time deciding what not to put in this, I could've easily thrown it all in there! I limited myself though- must keep it simple- must save some veggies for the rest of the week.

The cucumbers I used are called lemon cucumbers. I got them from the farmer's market because they looked interesting. They look kind of like a yellow tomato, but taste similar to a regular cucumber, with a little more crunch. Any kind of cucumber would be good in this salad.

White Bean and Artichoke Salad
(Print Recipe)

Ingredients
2 can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 jar artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped (I used the water-packed ones, with stems included on them)
1 red pepper, diced
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar (you could use regular balsamic instead)
3 tablespoons regular balsamic vinegar
1/2 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper to taste
Baby arugula leaves

Directions
Combine all ingredients except arugula, stir gently, cover and chill for several hours to let the flavors blend. Serve over a bed of baby arugula leaves.

I love the light peppery bite the arugula adds to the dish. You could easily add/take out any veggies in here- just use the basic ingredients: white beans and artichokes, then create your own favorite flavor combinations!

August, please hang around for awhile.

Artichokes and Wheat Berry Salad

One of the things I love most about summer, is artichoke season! Nate and I both share the same passion for artichokes... and unending love! We know Lilly (yes, our dog) belongs in the Moore family because she too shares this same feeling toward these tasty thistle-like plants. They can be somewhat intimidating to make and eat, if you don't have any experience with them. I have had several of my friends ask me multiple times, what exactly I do with them. It is really quite simple once you try it! Note: When choosing an artichoke, I have found that the LARGE ones have much better flavor than the baby ones. Just find one that looks nice, plump, full, and seems to call out your name.


Fun fact: Marilyn Monroe was crowned artichoke queen in 1948.


First, here is a picture of my favorite meal: artichokes, wheat berry salad, and wine!

I will post the recipe for wheatberry salad after we discuss artichoke making and eating.

First trim the stem an rinse the artichoke.

Next place the artichoke in a large pot of water (deep enough so it can fully submerge).

Then turn on the burner to high until it comes to a full boil. Slightly reduce the heat so it continues to boil, but not boil over.

(Any other teachers noticing my "transition words" in my "how to" story? I just realized I am using my first grade writing lesson ideas to explain this... not sure if this is a good or bad thing, but I'll go with it).

Depending on the size of your artichoke, boil 45 min- 1 hour. I usually test the leaves by plucking a random one (not too close to the edge, not too close to the middle), if it comes off pretty easy and is soft when you taste it, it's ready.

Now, here comes the fun part. I put mine in an artichoke steamer for serving because it holds it in place, but this is not necessary. I don't use the steamers to actually steam them because I have found the come out just as good by simply boiling them. Pluck some delicious leaves.

Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice on the leaf or dip in Earth Balance butter (Nate's fav) if desired. Then bite of the "meat" of the artichoke leaf. This is my bite.

This is Lilly's bite. She is an artichoke hound. A professional.

Continue enjoying each leaf (except the ones on the very edge... they are not very good).

Soon it will look like this.

Finish the last few leaves until this is left.

Slice out the "choke" (That is what we call it... might not be the technical term) by running a sharp knife around the edges and all the way into the middle. This definitely takes practice- you won't get it perfect the first try. If you do, don't tell me. It took me several tries until I could get it right. Even if you leave some stringy parts, you can scoop them out with a spoon after. The section on the left is the "choke", we eat the part on the right:

Then slice into chunks.

I always say this is my "dessert" after eating my artichoke leaves... It is that same delicious flavor, intensified and even more scrumptious... 

This is our crazy dog begging for more artichoke. Notice (not that it isn't obvious) her crusty, greenish face, from devouring all the meat off the leaves we gave her. That underbite is always much more prominent when she really, really wants something. I love how she knows how to get the good stuff and leaves the rest, and ALWAYS comes back for more!

I realize this is a long blog post, but I must share my wheat berry salad recipe! It is too good not to share with you.

Wheat berry Salad

(Print Recipe)

Adapted from Oh She Glows

1 cup dry wheat berries, cooked and drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 English cucumber, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 large tomato, diced
1 cup fresh cilantro, diced with large stems removed
4 green onions, diced (optional)
1 avocado, diced (squeeze a little lemon juice on it to keep from turning brown)
Kosher salt + pepper, to taste

Dressing Ingredients:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp whole grain mustard
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 large garlic cloves, minced

Directions: Place the wheatberries in a medium sized pot, covered in 3 inches of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1 hour. Drain and cool.

In a large bowl, mix together the diced vegetables (cucumber, red pepper, tomato, cilantro, green onions, avocado). Add in cooked and drained black beans (or other bean of choice) and stir.

In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients (olive oil, water, balsamic vinegar, mustard, soy sauce, fresh lemon juice, garlic). Set aside.

When the wheat berries are ready, drain, rinse, cool, and then stir into the salad. Add the dressing just before serving and stir well. Now season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Garnish with additional cilantro if desired.

Great on it's own, or served over a bed of greens.