Canned artichokes simply don’t hold a candle to fresh artichokes – they are nutty, creamy and slightly buttery. Simply divine. And the most important part of this dish? I had you there – you thought it was the artichokes. Let’s be real, it’s the sauce (go figure). I’ve been eating artichokes for as long as I remember – they were always a staple appetizer in our house for special occasions. Birthdays, holidays, you name it – there were artichokes. And my family and I have been through our fair share of dips for these puppies (I may or may not have been the ring leader for that…), from homemade garlic aiolis to store-bought varieties, and admittedly, a store-bought one has prevailed: Marzetti’s Asiago-Peppercorn dressing. Think of it this way: would you rather make your own wine for the evening or buy a Napa Valley bottle? Exactly. Until a sauce is perfected, I will most certainly default to a delicious, creamy and sinful store-bought version. And my sous chef – who hasn’t had many artichokes in his heydey – thought the artichoke was so delicious that it didn’t even need the sauce… so wrong. Well, partially. Yes, the artichokes are quite yummy, but you simply can’t skip the sauce. Take my word for it. Now, these babies are delicious – so let’s get ready for some roastin’.
Lemon and Garlic Roasted Artichokes:
(Serving size: 2)
- 2 large artichokes
- 1 lemon
- 6 cloves of garlic, peeled
- two tablespoons olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- heavy duty tin foil
- Marzetti’s Asiago-Peppercorn dressing for dipping
Okay, let’s preheat our ovens to 425 degrees. Then, we’re going to slice off the top quarter to third of the artichoke (depending on the size) and all of the stems.
Then, slice the lemon in half. Juice half of the lemon on each artichoke. Then, drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over each one. Using your fingers, spread the leaves of each artichoke so you can nestle three garlic cloves into each one. Place the artichokes on enough heavy duty tin foil to wrap them; put a bay leaf (or two if they’re small) at the bottom of the artichokes.
Wrap these babies up and place them in a pyrex pan.
Pop them in the oven for about 1 hour and 25 minutes. See – they’re great appetizers because you have all of that time to prepare dinner! Remove from the oven once finished and let them cool. Unwrap, serve with you Asiago-Peppercorn dressing and enjoy!
Yummy, yummy – all in the sous chef’s tummy! As for my tummy, I’m looking for the perfect wine: a wonderfully complementary Chardonnay for this appetizer is the 2012 La Crema. Creamy, oaky and an excellent match for this savory artichoke.
