Grilled Artichokes With Olive Oil Lemon Mint Food

GRILLED ARTICHOKES WITH LEMON GARLIC AIOLI

Steps:

• Make the artichoke dipping sauce. Make the lemon garlic aioli by combining all ingredients in a bowl and mixing well to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• Prep the artichokes. Trim the top inch off of your artichokes with a sharp knife. Cut each artichoke in half, then use a large metal spoon to scoop out the center choke (the fuzzy hair attached to the heart).
• Steam the artichokes. Preheat a large pan of water with a steam basket attached to it and bring the water to a boil. Place the artichokes in the steam basket over the boiling water. Cover the pan with a lid, and steam the artichokes for 8-10 minutes.
• Preheat the grill. As your artichokes are steaming, preheat your grill to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (high heat).
• Season the artichokes, and prep for the grill. After the artichokes are done steaming, remove them to a cutting board or baking sheet. Drizzle the cut sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill the artichokes. Place the artichokes cut side down directly on the grill and grill for 4-5 minutes. Flip them over and grill them on the back side for an additional 4-5 minutes for a total cook time of 8-10 minutes.
• Serve hot. Remove the artichokes from the grill. Remove the lemon garlic ailoi from the refrigerator and serve immediately with the sauce and garnish with a lemon cut into wedges.

GRILLED ARTICHOKES WITH LEMON AIOLI DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small bowl whisk all of the aioli ingredients except herbs. Store in the fridge, covered for up to 24 hours. Sprinkle freshly-cut herbs on top right before serving.
• Fill a large (8-quarts or more) pot with water, 2/3 of the way up, and bring to a boil.
• Trim one artichoke at a time, making sure to rub all of the freshly cut parts with a halved lemon as you go, to prevent discoloration. First cut off the very tip of the stem. Next, carefully slice off or shave (with a vegetable peeler) the tough outer skin of the stem. Using your scissors and starting at the bottom of the artichoke, snip off the thorny tip of each leaf (about 1/2 inch) until you get to the top of the artichoke, where the leaves are too crowded to separate.
• Lay the artichoke on its side and slice it in half, starting from the stem. Don't forget to keep wiping the cut parts with lemon. Lay each half cut-side down and slice off 3/4 of an inch from the top, to remove the last bunch of thorny tips. Lemon, lemon.
• Carefully drop the artichoke halves into the boiling water. When it returns to a boil, cover the pot and cook the artichokes for 20 minutes. Don't worry if they aren't all completely submerged. Those parts will cook in the steam. Using tongs, gently transfer the artichoke halves, cut side down, to a bowl (letting the water drip off of them) and let them cool for 15-20 minutes. When they're cool enough to handle, use a teaspoon to carefully scoop out the chokes (the hairy part near the heart). They artichokes are now ready for grilling or you can refrigerate them, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 48 hours before grilling them.
• Heat the grill to medium-high. (If you chill the artichokes overnight, allow them to sit at room temperature for 1/2 hour before proceeding.) Brush artichokes generously on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Grill artichokes for about 5 minutes per side, outside first, until the cut side has grill marks and is nicely browned in spots.
• Serve the artichokes warm or at room temperature. I like to set the artichoke halves out on a big platter and let everyone help themselves. Make sure each person has a small plate, a fork and knife to eat the heart, and a small bowl of aioli for dipping. I usually put out one or two large communal bowls for the discarded leaves.

GRILLED ARTICHOKES WITH WHOLE GARLIC BULBS

Steps:

• Remove papery skin from garlic heads. Slice off top quarter of each head to expose the clove ends, leaving heads whole.
• Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice into a large bowl filled with water.
• Cut off the end of stem and top quarter of each artichoke. With scissors, cut off prickly points on the ends of leaves. Quarter artichokes, remove the choke and immediately immerse artichokes in lemon water to keep them from turning brown. Put a plate on top of artichokes to keep them from bobbing to the surface.
• Cut six sheets of heavy-duty foil about 12 inches square. In each one place a garlic bulb and four artichoke quarters, which have been lifted directly from the water without being drained.
• Put a tablespoon of butter onto each artichoke, sprinkle with oil and top with a sprig of fresh thyme or 1/3 teaspoon dried thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. As if wrapping a gift, pull two sides of the foil together so that they overlap, then roll up the ends of the other two sides so that juices are sealed in.
• Put foil packets on grill over hot coals and cook for about 40 minutes, turning several times. Serve directly from foil.