A bit of garlic, pancetta, and mint bring out the delicate nuttiness of baby artichokes.
Note: If you've never trimmed or cleaned baby artichokes before, see this easy-to-follow guide.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice or white wine or distilled vinegar
- 4 lbs. baby artichokes
- 1 Tbsp. salt plus more to taste
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 oz. pancetta or unsmoked bacon, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup dry white wine or broth
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 to 2 oz. Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
- Prepare a large bowl of cold water and add the lemon juice or vinegar. Trim the outer leaves, green leaf ends, and stem ends from the artichokes, leaving just the tender yellow-green leaves. As you finish each artichoke, drop it into the acidulated water.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 Tbsp. salt. Drain the artichokes and add them to boiling water. Simmer the artichokes until they're tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to 20 minutes. Drain and rinse them with cold water.
- Cut any larger artichokes in half lengthwise and remove any fuzz at the heart (you can do this by scraping the fuzz away with a small knife or teaspoon).
- Set a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and pancetta. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders out of the pancetta. Add the garlic and stir until it turns golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the artichokes and wine. Cook until the wine is almost completely evaporated. Stir in the mint and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or warm topped with shaved Parmesan cheese.
Makes 4 servings
