Pan-Seared Baby Artichokes
I grew up in artichoke country near Watsonville, CA, the artichoke capital of North America. While I practically worship large, globe artichokes, the baby ones make for a great vegetable side dish or as a starter. Many of them do not have a choke which makes them easy to clean.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of baby artichokes
- Sea salt
- 2 tablespoons herbs de Provence or a mix of dried oregano and thyme
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 bowl of acidulated water (water with juice of 3 lemons)
Instructions
- Fill a bowl with water and the juice of 3 lemons. Leave the lemons in the water. This keeps the chokes from turning brown.
- Using your fingers, peel the outer leaves of each choke until no more leaves easily come off. Cut off the bottom quarter and discard. Using a paring knife, peel away the outer layer of the stem. Preserve the stem for aesthetics.
- Cut each choke in half lengthwise and place into the acidulated water.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Remove chokes from water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Sauté over high heat for 5-6 minutes. Once in the pan, sprinkle with fleur de sel and herbs de Provence. Toss until slightly caramelized.
- Season with a bit more of the herb mix. Turn down the heat and pour in the white wine.
- Simmer on low for 4-5 minutes or until the chokes are cooked through.
💡 James' Tip
The key to great artichokes is the acidulated water — it prevents browning while you work. Take care to preserve the stems for a beautiful presentation.
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