Vegan Mofo Continues!!

Grilled Artichokes

I made this for the first time today… and the basis for the recipe came from VegWeb.com – but I have changed it up a bit. They’re an amazing resource… of course… but here’s my take.

Serves 4 people.
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2 Artichokes
Olive Oil (not EVOO)
1 large Lemon
1 teaspoon thyme, dried
3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ cup Olive Oil (not EVOO)
6 cloves Garlic, pressed or microplaned
1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
½ cup veganaise, for dip

Method

Prepare the Artichokes
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Cut off the sharp times on every leaf using kitchen shears.
Chop off the tops and the stems with a chef’s knife.
Cut the artichokes lengthwise and “work” all the leaves a bit… just to loosen it up.
Using a serrated spoon or knife, remove the hairy part near the heart while leaving the meat intact.

Using the lemons, rub a small amount of juice over the tips of the leaves where they were trimmed, and put juice on the meat and inside leaves.

Preheat the grill to medium high. Outdoor gas grills work great.

Make the Marinade
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Take the 1/2 cup olive oil, 6 cloves garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, and fresh ground pepper, … and combine in a small to medium bowl. Whisk together until combined and smooth.

In a separate bowl, mix the Veganaise and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the marinade mixture together. Whisk until smooth and consistent in texture and color.

Pre-Cook the Artichokes
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Fill a large pot with water about 5 inches deep. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, 3 cloves crushed garlic, the leftover lemons, and a tablespoon of dried (or sprig of fresh) thyme.

Put the artichokes in the water, stem side down. Bring to a boil and boil for about 20 minutes or more, until the outer leaves move fairly easily. Too short a time, they won’t come off… to long, they’ll come off on their own.

Remove them from the water and drain in colander. Leave them for a few minutes.

GRILL ‘EM
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Brush the outsides of the artichokes with the marinade and place them outside down on the grill, and baste the insides with marinade. Grill at medium high heat for 3 to 5 minutes.

Flip them over and do it again for another 3 to 5 minutes, inside-down. Re apply the marinade prior to flipping.

EAT ‘EM UP!
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Serves 4 happy people.

There won’t be much left… except a pile of artichoke leaves.

ENJOY!