GRILLED ARTICHOKES

I always think artichokes must be the cleverest of the vegetable family, as they are colour coded and tell you exactly what to do with them! These artichokes were cooked on the barbecue and were the perfect side dish to a simple, satisfying summer meal.

Method

Cut and remove a 1/3 of the stem off the artichokes. If you want to you can trim the tips of the leaves with scissors but it’s not a necessity. Place the artichokes in a large pan and cover with water. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and bring the water to boil. If the artichokes are bobbing around, weigh them down with an overturned plate. Simmer for 20-40 minutes, depending on the size, until you can pull off a leaf with ease. Drain the artichokes and leave them to cool.

Now it’s time to remove the choke (that funny looking furry stuff in the middle). Cut the artichokes, as shown in the image below, so that the choke comes out easily. Use a spoon to scoop it all out, making sure that there are no purple bits left over. Throw out any choke, as none of it is edible!

Brush both sides of the artichoke with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Place the artichoke on a medium hear on a preheated grill, centre side up. Grill with a lid cover for about 10 minutes and then flip over. Continue grilling for another 5-10 minutes, until you have those lovely griddle marks and the flesh of the artichoke is soft.