PREVIOUS ARTICLE
What’s the one party appetizer that your friends always devour without fail? Today, we’re excited to share a twist on a tried-and-true starter: artichoke dip. This version, from the cookbook Six Seasons, also uses artichokes as the vehicle for dipping. (Mind. Blown.) Here’s how to make it…
Grilled Artichokes with Artichoke-Parmigiano Dip
From Joshua McFadden and Martha Holmberg’s Six Seasons
This dish is an example of something I love to do when I cook—doubling up to use the same ingredient in two ways. Here, I grill some of the artichokes and then turn the others into the dip.
Recipe: Grilled Artichokes with Artichoke-Parmigiano Dip
Serves 4
You’ll need:
3 lemons
6 medium artichokes
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
2 tsp dried chile flakes
2 tbsp coriander seeds
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups crème fraîche
3 or 4 dashes Tabasco sauce
1/4 cup lightly packed finely sliced chives
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lightly packed roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Cut one of the lemons in half, then cut one half into 4 wedges to serve with the artichokes. Using a grater, zest the remaining 2 lemons and set the zest aside. Halve the zested lemons and set 2 halves aside for the dip; the remaining lemon halves are for the artichoke prep. Trim all the artichokes and slice lengthwise into quarters. Rub the exteriors with a lemon half. Scoop out the hairy center—the choke. Squeeze some lemon juice into the choke space.
Poach the artichokes:
Put 3 of the garlic cloves, the chile flakes, coriander seeds and vinegar into a large pot (big enough to hold 2 of the trimmed artichokes). Add 2 quarts water and bring to a simmer. Once it’s simmering, add 2 teaspoons salt. This is called a court bouillon, and it should taste well-seasoned and like all of the ingredients in the pot. Take it off the heat and let it cool down.
Add 8 of the artichoke quarters to the court bouillon (reserve the remainder for grilling) and bring up to a simmer. Poach until they are fully tender, 10 to 15 minutes. You can check by poking the stem with the tip of a knife, like you would a potato. Drain the artichokes well on a rack, and when they’re cool enough to handle, blot with paper towels so they are quite dry.
Make the dip:
Very finely chop the artichokes and place them in a large bowl. Add the crème fraîche, along with half the reserved lemon zest, the juice from 2 lemon halves, the Tabasco sauce, chives, Parmigiano and salt to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning so that it’s savory and balanced, and then whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil to make the dip rich and creamy. Taste again and add more salt, Tabasco or lemon if you like.
Grill the artichokes:
Heat a grill, a grill pan or a heavy skillet over high heat. Add a slick of olive oil and the remaining garlic clove to flavor the oil (skip this if you’re using an actual grill). Lay the remaining 16 artichoke quarters in the pan and grill on all sides until nicely browned and starting to crisp around the edges, about 10 minutes total. You may need to do this in batches or in two pans.
Transfer the grilled artichoke quarters to a platter, shower with the parsley, the rest of the lemon zest and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve warm or at room temperature with the artichoke dip and lemon wedges for squeezing.
Thank you so much, Joshua and Martha! We love your cookbook.
P.S. More recipes, including a pea and goat cheese frittata and caramelized onion and tomato focaccia.
(Excerpted from Six Seasons by Joshua McFadden and Martha Holmberg (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2017. Photographs by Laura Dart A.J. Meeker. Thanks to Franny Eremin for helping with this series.)
