Mar 13, 2025

Roasted Artichokes

by Patrick Martin

Overhead photograph of two artichokes, two lemons, loose garlic cloves, a bunch of rosemary and a bunch of tarragon laid out on a wooden cutting board on top of a white marble countertop. Also on the counter are a bottle of Frantoio Grove EVOO, a jar of Frantoio Grove Mitmita, a jar of Frantoio Grove Fleur de Sel, and a small bowl of garlic lemon mitmita aioli.

Prep time

5-10 Minutes

Cook time

40-45 Minutes

Servings

2 People

Category

Vegetable

Origin

California

I love a steamed artichoke. We grab them almost every week at the market while they’re available (well, we usually suffer through one or two tough, stringy tragedies at the end of the season before calling them quits). A steamed artichoke is a beautiful thing when done well, and although it may take them a while to cook they’re pretty hands off, leaving you time to prep the rest of dinner, walk the dog or whatnot.

But a roasted artichoke, that’s something special. And it’s not even much more complicated. A couple of extra minutes of prep and the result is an impressive looking thing - tinged with the burnt umber that clues you in to the depth of flavor you’re about to experience.

A roasted artichoke not only has the deeper, more concentrated flavors that come from a dry(er) heat, it is also in some ways more delicate. The more intense heat application allows for the flower to come out slightly more cooked, leading a bit more of the end result to be edible. In particular, I find that the little bits of leaves that inevitably end up in your mouth are less likely to need to be removed with a napkin, the last bite of the center of the center is more likely to be a solid CHOMP than a delicate scrape, and stems are more likely to be edible.

One subtle difference that can have a delightful impact on this dish is the ability to add aromatics while cooking. I have a lemon tree and a rosemary bush in my yard, which are a natural fit for this dish, but other herbs or aromatics would work as well.

Finally, a steamed artichoke heart doesn’t come close to the power of one that has been roasted. The heart of a roasted artichoke is a life changing bite. Not since narcissus has a flower come so close to legend.

Ingredients

2 Artichokes (See note)
1 Lemon, peeled
Rosemary
EVOO

For Plating

Recipe

Step 0

Preheat the Oven: Preheat oven to 400 F (200 C)

Step 1

Clean the artichokes: Remove any of the tough outer leaves on the stem and around the base (I usually pull any leaves that don’t make it up above the widest part of the artichoke.)

Peel the outside of the stem and heart with a vegetable peeler to remove any knobs and the tough, fibrous exterior.

Cut the artichokes in half lengthwise and scoop out the choke and any tough spiny leaves in the middle.

Optional: you can also remove the tops of the leaves which can be a bit pokey, I no longer do this but it is customary.

Photograph of 2 artichokes, cut in half, laid with the cut side facing up on a wooden cutting board.

Step 2

Photograph of an artichoke, cut in half and with cut side down, in a square, metal roasting pan with a sprig of rosemary and a thick lemon peel.

Prep the artichokes and aromatics: Liberally rub the inside/outside of the artichokes with oil. Peel a lemon with a vegetable peeler into large strips, place one large strip and a piece of rosemary under each artichoke half in a 9” x 9” baking pan. Add 1 cup of water then cover tightly in foil.

Step 3

Overhead photograph of water being poured from a measuring cup into baking pan with artichokes.

Roast the artichokes: Roast the artichokes for 30 minutes covered, to steam, and then remove the cover and roast for another 10-15 minutes, or until the heart is tender and offers no resistance when stabbed with a knife.

Step 4

Enjoy your roasted artichokes with some garlic lemon mitmita aioli and rosemary tarragon aioli.

Photograph of an artichoke leaf dipped into a white ramekin filled with garlic lemon mitmita aioli. The roasted artichoke halves can be seen, out of focus, in the background.

Notes for Roasted Artichokes

To choose the best artichoke, you will need to pick up the artichoke and give it a gentle squeeze. You want the center of the artichoke to feel fairly dense and firm, if it's really squishy or doesn't feel like there's a core inside, put it back and look for another.