It was April, 2002, when a tentative and occasional home cook saw baby artichokes in the grocery store for the first time. She bought a package of them and brought them home. Because she was a little nervous by nature and was working long hours, she kept putting off trying to solve the mystery of how to cook them.
They went bad in the refrigerator before she opened the package. Funny what intimidation can do to ingredients.
But every spring that woman went back to the same grocery store, searching for another package of those little globes. They haunted her dreams. She wanted to cook with them!
Yesterday she found them. After 11 years of searching.
So she snapped up 2 packages. And coincidentally she’s had “It Takes Two” in her head for the last 24 hours.
Wooh! Yeah! Wooh! Yeah!
She knew what to do with them this time, though. She had researched those little artichokes for years. She had wanted to be prepared if they ever crossed her path again.
It was worth the wait. These little guys were perfect.
They were lemony and luscious. Oh, and completely adorable too.
Wooh! Yeah!
Baby Artichokes with Lemon and Fresh Basil
Ingredients:
4 baby artichokes
4 tablespoons of lemon juice, divided
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon of olive oil
½ teaspoon of chili flakes
1 tablespoon of white wine
2 tablespoons of fresh basil
Black pepper
Instructions:
Pour 1 inch of water into a medium saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice to the water, and bring to a boil.
Prepare the artichokes while the water comes to a boil. First, take 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and pour into 2 cups of cold water. (The artichokes will start to blacken the second the air hits them – so you need to have the water ready to keep them from discoloring.)
Remove the green, outer leaves of the artichokes until you see the yellow middle. Cut off the top and the stem. Divide into quarters and drop immediately into the lemon water. Repeat with the rest of the artichokes. Place the artichokes in a steamer basket and cover the pan, leaving a little room for steam to escape. Steam for 8-12 minutes. The artichokes are done when a sharp knife inserted into them goes in easily. Turn the heat off.
Pour the olive oil into a medium saucepan, along with the chili flakes. When the oil shimmers, add the artichokes. Cook for 5 minutes over medium low heat, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat off, and add the wine, remaining lemon juice and season to taste with kosher salt. Turn the heat back on low and let the artichokes absorb most of the liquid, about 3 minutes. Add the basil to the pan and stir well.
Serve as an appetizer, or side dish.
Serves 2.
Photos by Launie Kettler