Artichoke

Even if you don't like anchovies, you've got to give this a try. First of all, you can't beat freshly steamed artichokes—nibbling the flesh from the little leaves, gobbling the tender heart. And the insanely good anchovy butter has absolutely no relation to the too-salty fish you may have had once at a takeout pizza joint. Instead, oil-packed anchovies contribute this subtle sea-salty punch that you just can't get from anything else.

This salad is served with crostini topped with artichoke pesto instead of croutons.

Prep in less than 10 minutes, but expect this high-protein meal to keep you full for hours.

Use the oil from the artichokes, because it is flavorful and adds punch.

Grilling is the name of the game for a vegetarian powerhouse stacked with meaty eggplant, melted Fontina cheese, and a luscious artichoke mayonnaise.

As a harbinger of spring, artichokes have a special place on the Passover table and in our hearts. One of Roberts's favorite ways to enjoy them is this elegant Roman preparation. (Rome is home to the oldest Jewish community in the Western world—the first Jews arrived in 161 b.c.e. as ambassadors from Judah Maccabee in Jerusalem.) The trimmed artichokes are braised in a lemony broth zinging with garlic and mint, which is later reduced to a satiny sauce.

Boneless top round roast is a cut taken from the flavorful leg. Here, we sliced it across the grain into steaks that are grilled and served with a Mediterranean-inspired combination of artichoke hearts, olives, and fire-roasted tomatoes.

Tender baby artichokes add richness to the potato hash. Aleppo pepper, from northern Syria, gives a sweet, earthy flavor to the steak and its accompanying aioli. Look for it at specialty foods stores and online at wholespice.com. If you can't find it, substitute 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika and 1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder.

Side dishes made from fresh legumes, vegetables, and mint can be found all over Italy, but this quickly cooked version cuts down on labor by using frozen peas and artichoke hearts. It adds a bright touch of spring to cod’s meaty white flakes.

A comfort food menu just wouldn't be complete without something fried. In this addictive appetizer, slices of cooked artichoke are mixed into a beer batter and then dropped into bubbling oil.

A Sicilian combination—artichokes and beans—becomes another creative variation on crostini at Cinghiale.

Grill the vegetables once the chickens have finished cooking. Because the artichokes have been precooked, it takes just a few minutes to finish them on the grill.

Tossing hot vegetables with vinaigrette is the best way to get them to soak it up, and artichokes straight off the grill are no exception. Mint and capers is a combination that flatters artichokes° and somehow, with the added grill flavor, the effect is doubled here.

There's really no trick to recipes like this: Using moist, flavorful chicken thighs and good marinated artichoke hearts will result in a simple but memorable single-pan dish.

Cooking the artichokes with the rice infuses the risotto with the flavor of this delicate vegetable.

A flavorful light supper or first course.