Baby Artichokes With Aioli
Serves: 5
Destiney Bartoletti
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
51
Spice
45
Sweetness
44
Sourness
38
mins
Prep time (avg)
5
Difficulty
Ingredients:
Directions:
1
Cut 2 of the lemons in half and squeeze the juice into a large bowl filled with cold water; drop squeezed lemon halves into water
2
Set bowl of lemon water next to your work area
3
Working with 1 artichoke at a time, remove the top few layers of dark green leaves, exposing the tender yellow leaves below
4
With a sharp paring knife, pare away the tough, fibrous outer layer around the base of the artichoke, then trim the tip of the artichoke off to flatten the top; you should still have about 2 inches of leaves above each heart
5
Drop each artichoke into the bowl of lemon water, as it is prepared (otherwise artichokes will darken)
6
To cook artichokes, place them on a rack in a pan above simmering water and steam, covered, until a knife slides easily through the base of the artichoke and leaves are tender, about 12 to 15 minutes
7
Remove artichokes and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking
8
Drain and set aside
9
To make the aioli, juice the remaining lemon
10
In a blender, puree the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, the garlic, and a hefty pinch of salt
11
(If using a food processor, use a whole egg
12
) With machine running, gradually pour in the extra-virgin olive oil in a very thin, steady stream
13
Then pour in neutral oil in a thin stream
14
Do not rush it; if you pour oil too fast, mayonnaise won?t thicken
15
When all the oil is incorporated, transfer aioli to a serving bowl and season, to taste, with more lemon juice and salt
16
Serve at once with cooled artichokes
17
If made ahead, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate aioli and artichokes up to 1 day