Grilled Artichokes with Lemony Feta Dipping Sauce

Artichokes are a gorgeous vegetable that are actually very easy to prepare, but people seem to be intimidated, and often will bypass them in the produce isle.  Let me change your mind.

I'm going to show you how to easily make a grilled artichoke and serve it alongside a beautiful lemony, vibrant whipped feta sauce that is a perfect accompaniment to the artichoke.  In the video I'll even show you how to eat an artichoke, which is not totally intuitive,  so rest assured at the close of the brief tutorial you'll be a pro at making and consuming this delicious vegetable.

While artichokes are usually considered a vegetable, they are actually the bud of a flower that is in the thistle family.  The artichoke would grow into a gorgeous purple flower if it weren't picked, hence the beautiful violet center of the artichoke.

These bulbs are highly nutritious, loaded with vitamins C and K, and actually have nearly 7 grams of fiber in a medium artichoke.

I simply snip off the tips of some of the sharper pointy leaves, cut off the stem, cut the artichoke in half lengthwise and then scoop out the fuzzy middle,  which is referred to as the "choke."  While beautiful, it is not pleasant to eat so we have to perform a wee bit of surgery to remove it.

After this I boil them until they're cooked through and soft in the center, let them drain cut side down on a cooling rack, and then season and grill.  That's all there is to it!  I add a cut lemon into my cooking water which assist in ensuring the artichokes don't oxidize and turn brown.

The spices I use on the artichoke are super simple. I drizzle the cut halves with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, then add a healthy dose of Aleppo chili flake, which is florally and less spicy than regular chili flake.  I also dust it heartily with  za'atar, which is a wonderful Middle Eastern spice blend containing dried thyme, cumin, sesame seeds and sumac.  Totally spectacular.

If you serve these to family or friends at your next gathering, your guests will think they are so special (and they are). There's nothing like seeing something "fancy" that is actually very simple to prepare, but looks so incredibly elegant.

THESE ARE BEAUTIFULLY SEASONED & READY TO GRILL

The whipped feta sauce is equally easy and is simply lemon and feta whipped together into a creamy consistency that is the perfect accompaniment to these gorgeous green globes.

THIS ZIPPY WHIPPED FETA SAUCE IS GREAT WITH THESE GRILLED ARTICHOKES

Grilled Artichokes with Lemony Whipped Feta Sauce 
Serves 4 (1/2 artichoke each)


2 artichokes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons za'atar    (Give Za'atar a try.  You'll love it)
2 teaspoons Aleppo chili flake (or 1 teaspoon regular chili flake)
1/2 teaspoon course sea salt (plus 1 teaspoon for the boiling water)
1 small lemon (cut in half for adding to the boiling water)


First cut off any sharp points of the artichoke leaves, cut off any larger woody stems and cut the artichokes in half lengthwise.   Scoop out the fuzzy middle, (I like to use a grapefruit spoon for this, but a regular spoon will work) then place in about 2 quarts of boiling, salted water into which you've added the cut lemon. Turn down the heat and let simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes.  To test for doneness, an outer leaf should come off easily with a gentle tug.


Remove from the water and place cut side down on a cooling rack to let any excess liquid drain thoroughly before you grill these.


Over the cut side of the artichoke halves drizzle over the olive oil and then season liberally with the with the Aleppo chili flake, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and za'atar.


Place cut side down on a medium grill pan or on your outdoor grill and simply grill until the artichokes are warmed through and there is a nice char on the cut side.  This will only take a couple of minutes.


Remove these to a serving platter and serve along with the lemony whipped feta sauce.


You can pull off the leaves, dipping them in the lemony whipped feta sauce (or simply use melted butter) and when the leaves are completely consumed, dive into the beautifully soft artichoke heart.




Lemony Whipped Feta


4 ounces feta (preferably authentic sheep’s milk feta), crumbled
1/2 lemon, zest and juice
2 tablespoons olive oil




Place all ingredients in a food processor or mix vigorously by hand until creamy.  Add a bit to salt if you feel it’s needed, but the salt of the feta is usually sufficient.