Thursday, July 12, 2012

Grilled Artichokes

 Grilled Artichokes
When my husband and I moved to Scottsdale, Arizona last winter, I had no idea that the culinary/restaurant industry was so amazing here!  The restaurants boast of incredible service, open kitchens, and beautiful, delicious food.

Old town Scottsdale has a great steak house that is also known for its grilled artichokes.  I was left craving them for days after we visited the restaurant, so here's my best attempt at a re-creation. 

Make sure you cook the artichokes well by steaming them first. We tried to grill them raw, and they came out like straw and toothpicks!  Cooling them quickly in the freezer while marinating them stops the cooking process and keeps them from getting overcooked and mushy, but still allows the flavors to set in.  It's a tricky process because you can't marinate them and then boil or steam them, you'll lose the flavor, so marinating them just before grilling seems to work best.  

There's a great honey mustard dipping recipe that follows.  These are great with steaks, chicken and just about anything else you can grill!

Grilled Artichokes 

Prep Time: 30 minutes / Cook Time: 30 minutes / Servings: 2
Grilled Artichokes

Ingredients:
  • 1 large artichoke
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. each salt and pepper

Steps:
  1. Cut the artichoke in half lengthwise with a large knife.  Remove the fuzzy centers by scooping them out with a spoon or by cutting them out with a paring knife.
  2. Place the artichoke halves into a large pot with about 3" of boiling water or into a prepared steaming basket.  Steam the artichokes for about 20 minutes until soft.  Remove from the water and allow to dry/cool for a few minutes.
  3. Drizzle both sides of the artichokes with olive oil and then sprinkle them with salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Gently rub the oil and spices into the artichokes.
  4. Preheat the grill to high heat.
  5. Place the artichokes on a plate and place them in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes.
  6. Remove the artichokes from the freezer and place on the heated grill face down for about 5-7 minutes, until the artichokes have nice, brown grill marks on them.  Flip them over and repeat on the other side.  Serve with honey mustard dipping sauce (recipe below).

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes / Cook Time: 0 minutes / Servings: 6

Ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup yellow mustard
  • 1/4 cup spicy brown mustard or Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 3 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper

Steps:
  1. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients except for the olive oil.  Whisk until well combined and then drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to whisk vigorously.  
  2. Mix until dressing is smooth and creamy.

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