Artichokes are another of the short-season wonders, and we try to eat as many as we can while they are available. This terrific artichoke recipe from Allison Roman's book Nothing Fancy is super easy, and makes the most succulent, juicy, and rich-tasting artichokes ever. It's nice to have a new addition to the 'choke repertoire. 

After making this a dozen times or more, I want to encourage you to free yourself from exact measurements, and think instead about ratios. Start with as many artichokes as you plan to serve. I encourage you to make extra while you're at it as they are fantastic cold or warmed up as leftovers.

Making the Wine-Roasted Artichoke Recipe

First, think big as far as your baking dish goes. It's surprising how much space the halved artichokes need for their flat surfaces to touch the pan. From there, just think in terms of having about 1/4-inch of wine in the bottom of the pan around the artichokes, to which you'll add another 1/4-inch of water. (I use Sarver Winery Pinot Gris for this-- my favorite from our neighboring winery!) You'll generously drizzle the artichokes with olive oil, and plop in maybe a half-tablespoon or more of butter for each artichoke half in the dish. Crush as many garlic cloves as you like-- we go big on garlic at this house, so perhaps 2 cloves for every artichoke half, and sprinkle the tops of them amply with kosher salt and red pepper flakes, or my favorite Aleppo pepper.

Aside from prepping the artichokes, the hands-on time is just a couple of minutes. Cover it in foil, bake in a 425 degree oven for 45-55 minutes, depending on the size of your artichokes. Remove the foil from the pan, and assess if it needs a little more water-- you don't want the pan to run dry but do want a reduced glaze to form. Then continue to roast them for another 15 minutes until they turn a deep mahogany, and the cooking liquid reduces into a garlicy little sauce you'll want to dip bread into.

This is the Artichoke Recipe Choice for Part Givers

If you're hosting a gathering, this dish is for you! It can be made ahead, either the day of or the day before, and warmed back up at the last minute. The artichokes are equally charming served room temperature for warm-day entertaining. While the artichokes pair perfectly with most white wine varieties, they really shine served with the same Sarver Winery Pinot Gris they are cooked in.

Have you noticed what happens when a crowd of people eat with their fingers? It's a magical way to drop barriers and bring people together. Put a bowl on the table for guests to toss their tooth-scraped outer leaves into.

What shall I serve with Wine-Roasted Artichokes?

This dish makes a lovely first course, if you like stretching the table adventure out for hours like we do. It's also a perfect accompaniment to fish, chicken, or pork tenderloin. It is equally good as part of a vegetarian meal, served with a nutty rice pilaf or lemony pasta.

Guess what?

This exact technique works to sweeten and juice-up fennel. Give it a try!

Other Springtime Recipes to Try

24-Karat Carrot Risotto: Get the recipe here.
Modern Pasta Primavera: Get the recipe here.
Lemony Asparagus White Bean Salad: Get the recipe here.

Blissful Wine-Roasted Artichokes

Course: Appetizer, Main Dish, Side Dish

Cuisine: Pacific Northwest

Season: Evergreen (April - July)

Dietary: Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Vegetarian

Preparation: Roasting

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Adapted from Alison Roman

These super easy, garlicky, succulent, juicy, and rich-tasting artichokes are a great make-ahead dish, and are excellent paired with most white wines.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 2-3 artichokes
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 Tbsp. butter or ghee
• 6-8 cloves garlic, crushed with the broad side of a knife
• pinch red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat the over to 425°.
• Trim the edible artichoke stem of any woody parts, leaving as much of it as you can. Snap off the bottom one or two layers of tough outer leaves. Use kitchen shears to trim the thorny ends of the remaining leaves, if any. With a serrated or chef's knife, cut about 1 ½" from the crown of the artichoke, exposing the yellowish and rosy interior.
• Cut the artichokes in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, dig out the fuzzy choke of each half, removing all fuzzy bits. Some of the purple-tipped center leaves will come out, too. Place the cut side down into a large baking dish (don't underestimate the size of dish you'll need-- the cut artichokes take up a lot of space!)
• Pour the wine, water, and olive oil over the artichokes. Add the butter, cut or pinched into pieces, and smashed garlic. Generously sprinkle each half with kosher salt, red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper, and black pepper. Cover tightly with foil and roast until the artichokes are fork-tender, about 45 minutes, depending on their size.
• Remove the foil and continue to roast another 15 minutes or so until the liquid is mostly evaporated and the tops are a mahogany brown. Take care that the liquid doesn't entirely evaporate-- add a little water if needed.
• To serve, scrape up the garlicky oil at the bottom of the baking dish to spoon on top of the artichokes.

Notes

Make it Your Own:

Use the same exact process for whole fennel bulbs. Very tasty! Perhaps experiment with other vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, and turnips, altering the roasting time depending on their tenderness. 

Dairy-free option: substitute olive oil for the butter. 

The process of preparing and eating citrus makes me happy. I never get tired of the bright cheery colors; the way the skin's oils pop when peeled, exploding the most uplifting scents; and how a little lemon, lime, or orange can enliven an otherwise drab dish.

In my fridge, one veggie bin is dedicated to citrus; two or three orange varieties, one or two lemon varieties, limes, kumquats and limequats, and sometimes grapefruit. Then there's the basket full of easy-peel tangerines on our counter for quick snacking. It isn't unusual for three or four of them to disappear in a day. Citruses are one of my most favorite food flavor families.

April and May wrap up the season for most US-grown citrus varieties, and now is the use-it-or-lose-it window for the freshest citrus.

No, citrus is generally not grown within my 101-mile gathering radius. Some people grow lemon trees in pots, but here on the 44th parallel citrus is not grown as a crop. This is a perfect example of exceptions to my rule.

Red beets, also in peak season during these months, give earthy substance to the lively oranges. The dressing for this salad is the same as this three-ingredient sauce, with the addition of the zest and juice of a half orange.

If dairy is a part of your diet, topping this salad off with pieces of creamy burrata would be pretty amazing.

This beet-orange salad works in Oregon's seasons of Mist (November through March) and into the early part of Evergreen season (April-July.) It makes a visually gorgeous platter of color, and is perfect for your spring table.

Red Beet and Orange Salad: Citrus Rush

Course: Salad

Cuisine: French

Season: Evergreen (April - July), Mist (November - March)

Dietary: Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Earthy beets and zippy oranges with a citrusy herb dressing make this winter and early spring salad delicious.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 3-4 small red beets washed and trimmed
• 3 small Cara Cara oranges peeled and sliced
• 3-4 small blood oranges peeled and sliced
• 2 large navel oranges peeled and slices
• ¼ cup raw pistachios roughly chopped
• ½ cup green garlic sauce
• ½ large navel orange juice and zest
• 3 oz. burrata optional
• salt to taste

Instructions

• Place the beets in a small saucepan fitted with a steamer basket if you have one, with ¾ inch of water. Put lid on the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow beets to simmer until fork-tender, about 20 minutes depending on the size of the beets. Allow to cool until they can be handled.
• While the beets are cooking, prep the remaining ingredients: Make the citrusy green garlic dressing according to this recipe, adding the juice and zest of the ½ navel orange. Set aside.
• Use a knife to peel and slice the citrus: Cut the top and bottom off each one. Stand the orange upright on its flat bottom and with your knife follow the curve of the orange from top to bottom, removing the peel and all the white pith. Cut into 1/4" slices.
• When the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them. The skins should slip off rather easily with your fingers, but if they don't gently scrape them away with a paring knife. Cut into ¼" slices.
• Arrange the beet and orange slices on a platter, layering them into a pretty color design. Sprinkle the oranges and beets with salt to taste. Spoon the green garlic dressing down the center. If you're using the optional burrata, break it into rough pieces and lay over the top. Scatter the chopped pistachios across the top.

Notes

This salad is good served chilled, but is even better served room-temperature.

Make It Your Own:

Change the type of nuts you use-- walnuts and hazelnuts are both good options. 

If you don't have a mix of oranges available, don't let that stop you from making this delicious salad. 

Experiment with yellow, Chiogga, and other beet varieties, depending on what is available to you. 

When green garlic isn't in season, substitute flat-leave parsley and/or other herbs such as cilantro, dill and tarragon.