Fried Minted Artichokes – A new addition to the Spring garden
These fried artichoke hearts are perfect for Spring. Every spring, Diane and I go through the annual “What veggies are we going to plant?” ritual. First the weather starts to warm and we begin to crave more than leafy greens, sugar snap peas, radishes, and carrots. We’ll hit Home Depot and nearly buy a bunch of boring varieties which we don’t really want but that is all they have because is it too early in the season. We’ll barely hold off on purchasing, then two days later the weather will drop winter cold again and we congratulate ourselves on not buying too early. Repeat two more times.
Fried Artichoke Hearts
Finally we can’t take it anymore and the inevitable excursions to our favorite nurseries and farmers’ markets takes place. By now the cool stuff is available and we buy twice the amount of varieties of what we originally intended. Mostly tomatoes, bell peppers, chilies, and eggplant.
Good nurseries and growers are dangerous. The 3″ pots costing a mere $2-4 each. We’ll find some of our favorite varieties: tomatoes like the Anna Russian, Kentucky Beefsteak, Sun Golds (which we don’t even need to buy since it always reseeds itself, but we do anyway), chilies like the padron, shishito, a medley of habaneros.
Of course in searching for the favorites, we’ll discover a bunch of new-to-us types and have to get a few of those. Somehow the bill ends up being $70-$80 of $3 or $4 items by the time we hit the register. Then a couple days later we think of a favorite we forgot to get and head back to the nurseries.
Repeat two more times.
Growing Artichokes
One veggie I always want, but we never buy, is to grow artichokes. They just take up soooo much room and I can’t convince Diane to sacrifice some of her radish or beet soil allocation. I’m not giving up my arugula space either and it is unthinkable to reduce any of the tomatoes or chilies growing room.
But this year we’ve added a couple more raised planters, and I finally badgered Diane enough that she relented one corner to artichokies. Especially after reminding her that she could use the blossoms for styling and table decorations!
The main reason I want to grow the artichokes is for the baby artichokes. I love them. So cute and tender I could just eat them up. Wait… I do eat them up. Strip them, then slice, fry, salt, and devour them. Sounds a little S&M like, but it sure is tasty.
Here’s a recipe for fried artichoke hearts. It’s one of our favorite ways to cook up the baby artichokes, Fried Minted Baby Artichokes. Tasty little tidbits we tend to eat much more than we intend to. One note on making them, be very liberal in stripping away the outer leaves. As a general rule, the darker the color the leaf, then tougher it will be after frying. Usually I’ll strip almost half of the leaves off of store bought baby artichokes.
If you like the crunchy outer leaves feel free to strip a little less. You can always strip more leaves off after frying if you change your mind. You can also make this with the “adult” artichokes, but you might want to scoop out the choke (the little hairs over the heart.)
We’d love to hear what everyone else is planning for or excited to grow this year. What’s your favorite varieties or what are you trying to make room for. Enjoy these fried artichoke hearts!
-Todd
crispy crunchy tender baby artichokes
Fried Minted Artichoke Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 Baby Artichokes
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 20 Mint Leaves (about), finely sliced
- 1/2 Lemon , cut into wedges
- Sea Salt , to taste
- oil for frying
Instructions
Prep the Artichokes
- Strip away the outer leaves until they are a very light green (usually about 1/3 -1/2 of the outer leaves). Trim the end of the stem and the top of the artichokes. Slice in half.
Fry
- Pour enough oil in a large saute pan to fill 1/4" deep. Heat over med-high heat. When oil is hot, place artichokes cut side down in a single layer (fry in batches if necessary) scatter garlic cloves between the artichokes and add half of the mint.
- Fry until garlic and artichokes until lightly golden (about 2-3 minutes) then flip and fry until just done (about another 2 minutes). Make sure to pull garlic out just before being it is fully golden as it will continue to cook a bit more after being removed from oil and will become bitter if overcooked.
- Drain on paper towels, squeeze a little lemon juice over artichokes, season with sea salt and toss with remaining mint leaves. Plate with additional lemon wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information per Serving
Here’s more great artichoke recipe ideas!
You have an amazing garden. So lucky to be able to grow what you eat. This recipe looks fabulous!
Hi there, such a beautiful post and photos!
I love artichokes and I like to eat them raw since they are so delicious! Here in Italy we have wonderful varieties but I’ve never tried to plant and grow them yet…
I’ve got just a courtyard not very sunny either, but still, I do my best with pots, moving them around the courtyard as sun moves on its journey from dawn to dust..what a task, uh?
Last weekend I planted tomatoes and cucumber and some fine herbs of course, marjoram, sage and persil…I’ll let you know how it’s getting on…
Have a nice week!
With every post I read, I bookmark one more recipe. And with every one of your photos, I get more and more excited for the Boulder photo workshop this summer! I only wish it were happening, like, tomorrow! 🙂
Karen- look forward to seeing you in August!!!
This spring I have added more territory to my vegetable garden and I am hoping at last to grow eggplants. Every year for the past three years I’ve planted eggplants too close to something else (just trying to squeeze them in) and then I discover them in September hunkered down under some gigantic vine (last year it was the nasturtiums that got them). This year they get a row of their own, in the sun! My other priority is to add more rhubarb and to feed/water it better!
I love your blog–both words and photos–and look forward very much to reading more!
The artichokes look incredible!
This recipe looks delicious- I will have to give it a try, thanks!
One of my must-haves for the garden is Casper Eggplant – it has the most amazing flavor. And this year I am adding in two artichokes (one green, one purple), rhubarb, and asparagus! The garden has been growing and I’ve finally made room for these perennial spacehogs.
i’m jealous of your weather. we live in a fog belt (in the sf bay area), and as our local nursery likes to joke, “it’s a great place to grow vegetables–if you want to grow lettuce.” the only variety of tomatoes i’ve been able to successfully grow in the fog are the sun golds (i grow them in large pots). btw, you’re probably better off buying your sun golds every year (as you do). they’re hybrids, so there’s no guarantee that the seeds will produce plants similar to the parent plants.
Great point Terri! It’s easy to forget those little details about plant genealogy.
I go through the same planting ritual! I have to hold myself back from buying up all the first vegetable plants at the gardening store, but I know I should wait till it gets a little warmer. Those stores are seriously dangerous though! I always end up leaving with plants I didn’t plan on getting. I can’t help it, I’m addicted to buying plants!
Those artichokes look great!
I have super limited garden space (with plenty of sunshine). Any tips on what I should plant?
We always start with what we like to eat, then figure out what we are able to grow. Our local nurseries are our best resource for figuring out the answer to the latter. No sense in growing a bunch of stuff you aren’t going to eat regularly!
I love California artichokes! These look incredible. I can’t wait to give them a try.
Fried baby artichokes are a favorite dish (reminds me of Rome!) Congrats on doing your first planting.
Ah yes, table decorations! I’ll never forget the site of giant dried artichoke’s nestled with votive candles on top of each bistro table in the old town centre of Bruges, Belgium. It made such an impression on me that I had to replicate it for my own table. Whenever I see big artichokes – gotta dry em…but for the babies – gotta fry em!
Donna- wow, what design inspiration, thank you! will have to start drying some artichokes now.
we’re trying our first chokes this year too! i just transplanted two ‘Purple of Romagna’ seedlings into our back bed. they aren’t looking too strong and i know i’m pushing it a little here in zone 7 but we’re crossing our fingers.
artichokes are the only veggie that we buy no matter the exorbitant price they’re asking at the farmer’s market- because we’re obsessed. we usually pick the medium-sized ones and steam them for a bit. then cut them in half, rub with lemon & olive oil, sprinkle with salt (and sometimes paprika) and then grill cut side down. and then devour.
thank goodness there’s a choke in the fridge or i’d be on my way to the grocery store after reading this amazing post and drooling over your beautiful photographs! as it is, i think i know what’s for lunch! 🙂
Your the one who has us drooling! Lemon, salt, paprika, and grilling the halves… Another brilliant idea!
It been so cute seeing you guys post about your gardening this year. Combined with your stunning photography as always!
The great thing about artichokes is that they come back for a few years. Or at least they’re supposed to. Mine has yet to make it back 🙂
Sounds like you two create an amazing garden. It’s so hard to pass up all the varieties.
LOL – sounds like the way I garden here in San Diego! Lovely recipe…
If being a garden geek means harvesting gorgeous artichokes like these, then count me in. We are still covered in snow, but we can hear our raised planters begging to be filled.