Recipe: Steven Raichlen’s Italian-inspired Grilled Artichokes

This recipe by grilling expert and cookbook author Steven Raichlen was inspired by his travels in Cagliari, Sardinia. It offers an exception to the general rule that it’s easier to grill water-rich vegetables than something like artichokes. Here, the grill’s high, dry heat brings out the natural sweetness of these edible flowers, offering crisp leaves and a smoky flavor enhanced by garlic oil, Raichlen says.

The recipe is included in his newly revised “Beer-Can Chicken” cookbook, which landed on bookstore shelves in April.

Grilled Artichokes

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS

8 artichokes

1 lemon, cut in half

1½ to 2 cups extra virgin olive oil

Coarse kosher or sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS

Using a sharp knife, cut off and discard the top third of each artichoke. Then cut off the stems, flush with the bottoms, and discard. Using kitchen shears, cut the spiny tips off the artichoke leaves and rub all the cut edges with lemon.

Using a grapefruit spoon or melon baller, scrape out the purplish inside leaves and “choke” (fibrous part) of each artichoke, creating a hollow cavity in the center. Squeeze lemon juice into this cavity. Generously brush the artichokes inside and out with some of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Set up the grill for direct grilling and heat to medium.

When ready to cook, place the artichokes on the grill, stem side up, and grill until the cut side is nicely browned, about 30 minutes. If the artichokes start to burn, move them to a cooler section of the grill.

Invert the artichokes, move them to a cooler part of the grill, and generously brush them inside and out with more olive oil (really slop it in), and place about 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic and 1 teaspoon chopped parsley in the cavity of each. Season again with salt and pepper. Move the artichokes back over the heat, cover the grill, and continue grilling them, basting with oil every 10 to 15 minutes until very tender, 30 to 45 minutes longer, 1 to 1¼ hours in all. You may need to add more coals toward the end here. If the artichokes start to burn, move them to a cooler part of the grill. When fully cooked, the leaves of the artichoke should pull off easily.

Drizzle with any remaining oil and serve at once, providing empty bowls for the leaves and finger bowls and napkins.

— Excerpted from Beer-Can Chicken: Foolproof Recipes for the Crispiest, Crackliest, Smokiest, Most Succulent Birds You’ve Ever Tasted (Revised) by Steven Raichlen, Workman Publishing © 2024.