For the balsamic glaze, prepared varieties are available at LeRoux stores and gourmet shops, or you can make your own; you’ll find recipes abound on the Internet. It’s essentially a reduction of balsamic vinegar, though some add a bit of sweetener such as honey or brown sugar. If you make a batch of your own, keep it in the fridge in a plastic squeeze bottle, and drizzling will be a breeze.
Serves 4
- 1 lemon
- 8–12 fresh baby artichokes or 4–6 large artichokes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Balsamic glaze, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1. Fill large bowl with ice cold water and juice from 1/2 lemon. Trim artichoke stems and peel off leaves until only the tender light-green-to-yellow hearts remain. Trim tips of artichoke hearts to remove any prickers. Cut each heart in half, or quarters if using full-size artichokes. Remove and discard thistle center with paring knife. Reserve trimmed hearts in lemon water for 5 to 15 minute. (Skipping this step can cause the artichokes to turn brown.)
2. Steam artichoke hearts for 5 minutes or until they feel firm but not hard when pierced with a fork. Rinse with cold water to slow the cooking process. Drain and pat dry with towel. Toss steamed artichoke hearts with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Heat grill to 450 to 500 degrees. Grill artichoke hearts until browned with nice grill marks, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Arrange on a serving plate. Squeeze juice from remaining 1/2 lemon over artichokes, and drizzle with balsamic glaze. Garnish with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.
This recipe was originally published with the article, Cooking With the Owners of LeRoux at Home.
