ROASTED ARTICHOKES
with a garlic & basil dipping sauce
Roasting artichokes is a quick and easy way to enjoy this flower! Artichokes are extremely high in antioxidants, fibre, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium and folate. Enjoy dipping each leave into a creamy roasted garlic and basil dipping sauce.
5 Facts about globe artichokes
Artichokes are extremely high in antioxidants such as cynarin and silymarin, beta carotene, quercetin, lutein, rutin and gallic acid. These all help to detoxify, reduce inflammation, aid in eye health and protect against a wide range of chronic illnesses.
Artichokes are actually a very tall purple thistle like flower that we eat before it blooms.
Artichokes help with detoxification, regeneration and protection of the liver as well as aid the gallbladder to produce more bile
Artichokes are high in calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, B-vitamins, vitamin C and vitamin K, to name only a few of their nutrients.
One medium size artichoke can have 3-4 grams of fibre. That is equivalent to about 6-7 prunes! This can help regulate blood sugar and insulin levels and provide you with energy.
INGREDIENTS:
Artichoke Prep
3 fresh artichokes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic bulb
coarse sea salt
black pepper
Basil and roasted garlic dipping sauce
handful of fresh basil leaves
Sea salt
Black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced
METHOD:
Heat oven to 400°F
Clean and wash the artichokes
Trim off some of the small leaves at the base of the artichoke
Slice off a bit of the stem, leaving about ½ inch at the bottom
Cut about ¼ inch off the top of the artichokes revealing the inside of the flower
Slice in half vertically and scoop out the choke, which is the fuzzy centre
Take 6 lemon slices and place them evenly on a baking sheet and place each artichoke half on top of each lemon with the flower side down exposing the green hard leaves
Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper
Bake uncovered for 20 minutes and then cover the artichokes with foil and continue to cook for another 30 minutes or until you can pierce the stem with a fork easily
While the artichokes are cooking, you will want to get the basil and roasted garlic dipping sauce ready.
Place all of the ingredients into a high speed blender or food processor
Blend on high until everything has come together and the mixture is smooth
Pour into a your dipping dish
Another easy dipping sauce is melted butter and roasted garlic as the dipping sauce!
HOW TO EAT ARTICHOKES
Peel off each leave one by one and dip them in your sauce.
Use your teeth to scrape off the tender part on the underside of the leaves.
When you get to the centre of the artichoke, you will be able to eat most if not all of the leaves.
Once you reach the bottom of the artichoke, cut the base and stem of the artichoke and dip !