Sautéed Artichoke Hearts Recipe
If you have very small (“baby”) artichokes, you need not remove the choke. But cleaning four large artichokes won't take you more than ten minutes. You can use canned or jarred artichoke hearts, but the flavor will not be the same; rinse them gently first.
1 clove garlic, lightly smashed (optional)
4 Large or 12 very small artichokes
4 tablespoons of (1/2 stick) butter or extra‐virgin olive oil
Flour for dredging
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish
If you are using large artichokes, cut them into halves or quarters; remove the leaves and the choke, and trim the bottom. If the artichokes are very small, simply peel off all the leaves and trim the bottom; you can ignore the choke. Drop them into boiling salted water to cover, lower the heat, and simmer just until tender, from as little as 6 minutes for little ones to as long as 20 for larger ones. Plunge immediately into ice water.
Drain and dry the hearts. (You may prepare the recipe in advance up to this point; refrigerate, in a covered container, for up to 2 days before proceeding.) Place the butter or oil in a large, deep skillet; turn the heat to medium‐high. When the butter foam subsides or the oil is hot, add the garlic if you like, then dredge each heart lightly in flour. Shake off the excess; place in the skillet. Cook, turning once or twice. Season with salt and pepper, until nicely browned all over, about 10 minutes.
Serve hot, garnished with parsley and accompanied by lemon wedges.
