Cooked until perfectly tender, this Artichoke Hearts & a (Kinda) Gremolata salad is a summertime staple in my house. At first, artichokes can look a little intimidating, but once you get the hang of preparing them by peeling away the tough outer leaves to expose the tender flesh within, you’ll get into a rhythmic state and come to enjoy the process as a true labour of love.
Serve with a vibrant, herby gremolata to perfectly balance the creaminess of the artichokes, butter beans, and mozzarella. That said, any fresh herb topping would work beautifully. Or even a dreamy lemon butter to soak into the artichoke crevices for extra indulgence.
I usually serve this as a fresh, flavourful salad, but it also makes a great dinner party starter or even a standout side.
Artichoke Hearts & a Kinda Gremolata
I always look forward to artichoke season; it’s one of those quiet joys that marks the turning of spring into early summer. There’s something greatly satisfying about preparing them: peeling away the tough outer leaves to reveal the tender heart, trimming the stem just so, and boiling until soft. It might seem a bit fussy at first, but once you’ve done it, you’ll understand the rhythm, and it becomes almost meditative. Before long, you’ll find yourself adding artichokes to everything.
Ingredients
- 3 artichokes
- 1 lemon 1 half juiced & 1 half kept whole
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- olive oil
- 400 g jar butter beans drained & rinsed
- 125 g mozzarella torn into rough chunks
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
- to serve: lemon wedges
Gremolata
- 30 g fresh parsley hard stems removed & finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- juice of half & zest of 1 whole lemon
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
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Start by preparing the artichokes. Use a bread knife to chop roughly an inch from the top of each artichoke and then slice off the majority of the leaves until you reach the leaves which have a pale yellow bottom. Cut away any hard, sharp tips from the remaining leaves and trim a little off the bottom, too. Next, use a speed peeler to peel away any hard outer stem. Cut each artichoke in half, then quickly place them into a bowl of water mixed with the juice of half a lemon, to stop them from oxidising.
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Fill a large saucepan halfway with water and bring to the boil. Add the remaining half of the lemon, peppercorns and a tbsp of salt, then gently drop in the artichoke halves. Boil for 18-22 minutes, or until they are tender all the way through. Drain and pat dry with a tea towel.
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Meanwhile, you can make the gremolata. Combine the chopped parsley, garlic, lemon zest and juice and a good pinch of salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Add just enough extra virgin olive oil to cover it and give everything a stir (you could also make this in a food processor, but it’s nice when it has some texture, so make sure you don’t blend it until completely smooth). Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more lemon juice, salt, or anything else you think it may need.
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Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and add a good glug of olive oil. Use a teaspoon to remove the choke (the furry central part) from each artichoke half, then place into the pan, cut side down. Sprinkle with a good pinch of salt, then fry for 3-5 minutes, until they are gorgeous and golden.
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Arrange the artichokes, cut side up, on a serving dish with the butter beans, torn mozzarella and gremolata. Finish with a grind of black pepper and serve with a few lemon wedges, if you like.
Recipe Notes
When eating, avoid the tough outer layers and any purple, papery leaves, as well as removing the fuzzy central ‘choke’. Instead, focus on scooping out the tender inner leaves and soft heart.
To better understand how to prepare the artichoke hearts, head over to my Instagram to see them being prepared. Or if you loved this recipe, then you’ll love my Pea, Artichoke & Sausage (Kinda) Lasagne.
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