Braised baby artichokes

Trimming artichokes can be a big pain, but baby artichokes are a little less tedious than the big ones I guess. These are first sauteed with some onions and garlic, then braised with a little white wine until tender. Top with some shavings of a good parmigiano reggiano and a grind of pepper. Serve as a simple side dish, or chop up the artichokes into smaller pieces and toss with israeli couscous or quinoa with some fresh herbs, a little olive oil and lemon juice or vingear of your choise, and maybe a little feta cheese for a grain side dish. You can also serve as part of a spread of antipasti.


To prepare your baby artichokes, first give them a good rinse. Prepare a large bowl of water, cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice into the water, then add the lemon halves to the bowl. Snap off the outer layers of the artichoke petals until you get to the pale, yellowish green layers. Cut off the top third or so of the remaining artichoke, then trim the end of the stems and cut away the outer layer of the stems. Cut the artichokes in half and drop them into the bowl of lemon water as you trim each one. If they have any bit of the furry choke in the center, scoop out with a spoon - the baby ones shouldn't have much, but sometimes they have a little bit and you'll want to remove it.

Slice an onion into wedges and peel a few cloves of garlic and slice thinly. In a large skillet, heat a little olive oil over medium high heat, add the onions and garlic cloves and saute for a few minutes. Add the artichokes and saute for about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of white wine and let it come to a simmer and let the artichokes braise for about 5 minutes until just tender. Add a handful of chopped parsley and stir in. Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil, a grind of black pepper, and a few shavings of a good parmigiano reggiano.