I was introduced to these little gems at a restaurant called Eccolo in Berkeley. Sadly, the restaurant is no longer - which is a bummer because we would trek there just for a pile of these lovelies. They called these artichokes in the style of the Roman Jew and served them up with house made aioli. They are dangerously similar to popcorn or french fries. Ridiculous, simple, and oh-so-delicious!
Ingredients:
A bunch of the smallest baby artichokes you can find (farmer's markets are the best bet)
Olive oil
Salt
Aoili or garlic butter for dipping
Since these artichokes are so tiny, they thistle is undeveloped so you can eat the entire thing. Trim the top of the choke to remove any visible thorns and remove any rough exterior leaves. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the rough exterior of the base and stalk ( if there is one). Slice each in half, lengthwise.
Heat a saute pan on medium-high heat and add a generous amount of olive oil to fully coat the bottom of the pan. Make sure the pan and the oil are very hot before adding the artichokes in a single layer. Cook over medium high heat for a couple of minutes without disturbing. (You may need to adjust the heat down a bit depending on your stove) Check each piece for golden coloring and turn as needed until all sides have turned a beautiful crispy golden brown. (You may wish to cover your pan with a grease guard since there can be sputtering.) Remove individual pieces to paper towels as they are done. Sprinkle with kosher salt and serve immediately.
I made this aioli using meyer lemons from our garden. I added a lot more zest than the recipe calls for to make it even more lemony. Deeeeeeeeeeelish!
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