Lemon & Herb Roasted Artichoke

To prepare artichokes: Trim stems to approximately 1 inch and cut off the top inch of the globes (the main artichoke). Use kitchen shear to snip the tip of each remaining leaf, where you’ll find a small sharp tip. This is just to prevent you from poking your fingers when you go to eat! Cut each artichoke in half vertically and scrape the fuzzy stuff (the “choke”) out of the middle with a spoon until you reach the solid artichoke “heart” at the base. Rinse the artichoke to remove any leftover fuzzies, then run the lemon wedges over the cut/exposed surfaces of the artichokes to prevent browning.

To roast: Preheat oven to 400F. Place artichokes on a sheet pan or baking dish, cut side up. Stuff the cavity of each artichoke with some chopped garlic and a small piece of rosemary, then brush or drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Carefully flip over and drizzle/season on the other side. Roast uncovered for 15 minutes, then cover tightly with foil and roast another 25-40 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the heart feels tender when poked with a sharp knife, and a leaf pulls away easily, but before the edges resting on the baking sheet start to burn. Discard herbs and squeeze any remaining lemon wedges over the artichokes.

To eat: Pull off individual leaves, starting at the base and working your way inward. Dip the base of the leaf into your favorite sauce (hollandaise, aioli, or melted butter with lemon are all great options!), then hold the leaf between your teeth and pull, using your teeth to scrape off the small amount of flesh at the base. Eventually, you’ll end up with the solid, meaty artichoke heart after you’ve pulled off all the leaves, which is absolutely delicious and worth all the work!