American
Grilled Artichoke
California's most distinctive vegetable, fire-kissed and served with a golden Mediterranean dip.
Recipe by Cyman Huang
Cooked, styled and photographed in his kitchen.
The California artichoke is one of the state's great agricultural treasures — Castroville, on the Monterey coast, grows over 99% of the artichokes produced in the United States, and the misty coastal climate produces artichokes of extraordinary tenderness.
Grilling an artichoke after steaming transforms it: the char adds a smoky bitterness that plays against the artichoke's sweetness, and the caramelized leaves become the vehicle for a garlicky, lemony aioli.
Watch it come together
Ingredients
For the artichoke
- 4 large artichokes
- 1 lemon, halved
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- Olive oil for grilling
- Kosher salt and black pepper
For the lemon garlic aioli
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup neutral oil (or half neutral, half olive oil)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- White pepper
Method
- 1
PREP ARTICHOKES: Fill a large pot with 2 inches of water and add the smashed garlic and squeezed lemon. Cut off the top ¼ of each artichoke and trim the stem. Rub cut surfaces with lemon to prevent browning. Place artichokes stem-up in a steamer basket.
- 2
STEAM: Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and steam 25–35 minutes until a center leaf pulls out with gentle resistance and the base pierces easily. Cool enough to handle.
- 3
HALVE & CHAR: Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise and scoop out the hairy choke. Brush the cut surfaces with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- 4
MAKE AIOLI: Press the garlic into a bowl. Add egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, and salt and whisk to combine. Whisking constantly, add the oil in a very thin, steady stream until thick and emulsified. Stir in lemon zest and adjust seasoning.
- 5
GRILL: Heat a grill or grill pan to high. Grill the artichoke halves cut-side down 4–5 minutes until nicely charred. Serve immediately with the aioli.
Substitutions
- Chef's tip: for a quick shortcut aioli, whisk 1 grated garlic clove, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon Dijon into ¾ cup good-quality mayonnaise.
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