Ingredients
- 4 artichokes
- 1 lemon
- 1/4 c olive oil
- 2-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 c chopped parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/3 c your favorite mayonnaise (jarred or homemade)
Instructions
- To prepare the artichokes, pull off the tough outer leaves–when leaves begin snapping off easily, they’re ready. Trim off the sharp, pointy tops and discard. Bring a large, salted pot of water to a boil. While the water is heating, zest the lemon and set aside zest. Squeeze the lemon into the water, toss in the halves and add the whole artichokes. Finish bringing to a boil, then lower to a lively simmer.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine lemon zest, olive oil, minced garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper. Reserve 1 Tbs.
- After about 10-12 minutes, check for doneness by pulling on one of the artichoke’s outer leaves–if it comes off easily, they are done. Remove artichokes to a plate with a slotted spoon and allow to cool. When they are cool enough to handle, cut artichokes in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out the hairy “choke” from the heart and discard.
- Place artichoke halves in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil mixture, tossing and gently massaging to get some of the marinade between the leaves. Heat a grill pan or charcoal grill to medium-hot.
- Place the artichokes on the grate or in the pan, and cook until grill marks appear, flipping and cooking both sides. As they cook, combine the reserved 1 Tbs olive oil mixture with the mayonnaise. Remove artichokes to a platter and serve hot or at room temperature with aioli for dipping.