The only way to improve upon a fried artichoke is to shower it with fried-garlic breadcrumbs, making a hands-on dish a little bit messier and a lot tastier. This is a great little antipasto, excellent with a light white wine or served with cold beer for a ballgame snack that ranks more than a few steps above nachos. Eat the larger leaves just as you would if you had a bowl of melted butter sitting right there, scraping the leaves against your teeth. The tender stems and inner leaves can be eaten whole.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 as a light snack
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Fill a deep, heavy pot or Dutch oven with 3 inches of canola oil and heat to 350°F.
Step 2
While the oil is heating, zest the lemon using a grater. Cut the lemon in half, squeeze the juice into a bowl, and set aside. Combine the breadcrumbs, oregano, lemon zest, and parsley in a bowl and set aside.
Step 3
To prepare the artichokes, first peel the fibrous outer covering from the stems, trimming only the very bottom and leaving as much stem intact as possible. (See step-by-step photos on pages 16 and 17.) Cut off the top of each artichoke with a very sharp chef’s knife. Next, pull off all the tough outer leaves. Use kitchen shears to snip off the tops of the tender inner leaves. Quarter the artichoke and remove the choke from each quarter. Brush the cut surfaces of the artichoke quarters with the reserved lemon juice to prevent discoloration.
Step 4
When ready to fry, pat the artichokes completely dry. Fry in batches for 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy and the stems are tender when pierced with a knife.
Step 5
Drain on paper towels and season with salt while hot. Place in a shallow bowl and drizzle lightly with the olive oil, then sprinkle with the seasoned breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.
