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A braised artichoke on a round plate with a couple of garlic cloves, a thyme sprig, and piece of bread on the side.
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5 / 2 votes

Italian-Style Artichokes ~ Carciofi

These Italian braised artichokes with garlic and thyme are slowly cooked in olive oil until tender and infused with garlicky goodness. Here's how to cook them and create an impressive spring side dish.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Appetizers
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6
Calories: 175

Equipment

  • 6- to 8-quart heavy pot wide enough to hold artichokes in a single layer (about 11 inches in diameter)

Ingredients

  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 6 medium (8 oz each) artichokes
  • 18 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 8 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 head garlic, cloves separated and unpeeled
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • Crusty bread for serving
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Fill a large bowl with cold water and squeeze the lemon halves into the bowl.
  • Working with 1 artichoke at a time, cut off and discard the top inch of the artichoke.
  • Using your fingertips, gently pull or pry open the leaves to reveal the center of the artichoke. Using a spoon (or a melon baller or a pointy-tipped grapefruit spoon), scoop out any sharp leaves and the fuzzy choke from inside the artichoke.

    ☞ TESTER TIP: You’re looking, beneath all those pointy tips and fuzz, for what’s called the artichoke heart. If the stem of the artichoke is still attached, use a knife to trim it.

  • Place the artichoke in the bowl of lemon water. Repeat with the remaining artichokes. (The trimmed artichokes can be kept chilled in lemon water for up to 8 hours.)
  • Remove the artichokes from the water. Push 3 parsley sprigs into the center of each.
  • Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a pot over medium heat until it shimmers, then carefully add the artichokes, thyme sprigs, garlic, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper.
  • Cover the pot and braise the artichokes, turning occasionally, until they’re browned in spots and the base of each artichoke–where the stem meets the leaves–is tender when pierced with a knife, about 35 minutes.
  • Using a slotted spoon, remove the artichokes, thyme, and garlic to a platter. Add the remaining 3/4 cup water to the pot and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, for 1 minute.
  • Pour the deglazed pan juices (they will be dark) into a small bowl and stir in the extra-virgin olive oil and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Squeeze the pulp from 2 of the garlic cloves into the juices and mash them into the sauce using the tines of a fork.
  • Divide the braised artichokes and, if desired, the remaining garlic cloves among 6 plates and drizzle with the sauce. The garlic cloves can be peeled and spread on crusty bread.

Notes

  1. Preparing the artichokes--If you find it tricky to scoop out the choke while keeping the artichoke intact, you can slice the artichokes lengthwise and scoop out the choke. If you do this, start checking your artichokes for doneness after 20 minutes.
  2. Dietary--This recipe is suitable for dairy-free and vegan diets.

Nutrition

Serving: 1artichoke | Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 513mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g