Fried Artichokes
- Total Time
- About 1 hour
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
Advertisement
Ingredients
Yield:8 servings
- 2tablespoons fine sea salt, or to taste
- 1teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- Juice and rind of 2 lemons
- 8American globe artichokes
- Olive oil for frying
Preparation
- Step 1
Mix salt and pepper in a small bowl. Fill a large bowl with water and add juice and rinds of lemons. Set both bowls aside.
- Step 2
Using a sharp paring or bird’s beak knife, shave off the tough outer leaves of artichokes until you reach the tender pale green or yellow leaves and create a bulbous shape. Cut off at least an inch of the thorny top. Trim the stem near the heart, peeling off the outer green fiber and leaving about 2 inches of stem if possible. Immediately put the artichokes in the lemon water to prevent browning.
- Step 3
Fill an electric fryer or deep cast-iron enameled pot with enough oil to almost cover artichokes. Heat to 325 degrees. While oil is heating, dry artichokes well with paper towels. Tap the flat top of the cut artichoke against the table to loosen the leaves. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, rubbing in the seasoning.
- Step 4
Fry artichokes in batches. Cook, turning occasionally with tongs, for about 15 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the stem at its thickest point. The outside should be bronzed.
- Step 5
Remove artichokes from oil and drain well, stem side up, on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Gently open leaves to remove choke (using a grapefruit spoon or melon baller) and encourage the leaves to spread. You can now freeze them or leave them out, stem side up, for a few hours until ready to finish.
- Step 6
When ready to serve, reheat the oil to 350. Working in batches again, return artichokes, stem side up, to hot oil just to crisp. Drain well and serve immediately with a sprinkle of salt. Eat with your fingers.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
Sln
can frozen (defrosted) artichoke hearts be used?
Joan Nathan
Yes they can. It won't be exactly the same as a whole fresh artichoke but I know many chefs who do that in restaurants.
Anne La Rocco Forcinito
My mom used frozen artichokes for years and served them as a delicacy during the holidays. Simply made, she dipped the artichokes in an egg wash and tossed them in breadcrumbs flavored with Pecarino-Romano cheese, fresh parsley, salt and pepper. Fresh out of the frying pan they were delicious!
Joan Nathan
Some growers have the Roman artichokes in California today. But really, any artichokes will do.
Tibor Bosnyak
I believe this would be a much better-received recipe if it contained images of the trimming of the Artichokes. As its a bit of an expensive fail... However, the reward is amazingly delicious!
We wish all of you a blessed Passover! And a warm and beautiful Easter. (This is certainly perfect for Easter just the same)
Mike Del Vecchio
Heritage is Southern Italian. This is not the way we (understand lots of renditions) prepare them - we use just the hearts, flour, egg (second), fry in olive oil, serve with Romano, lemon.
Ilenie
In the accompanying article, Joan Nathan wrote " When artichokes are in season, she cooks hundreds, freezing them after the first frying and refrying them for Passover and birthdays and family gatherings throughout the year. “
Roz
The choke (the hairy part deep inside) is not edible and should be removed and tossed. The rest refers to the remaining part of the artichoke.
PeppaD.
Regarding Step 4, what am I doing here? What does "them" refer to? Remove the chokes and fry the leaves? What do I do with the choke? I am utterly confused. "Gently open leaves to remove choke (using a grapefruit spoon or melon baller) and encourage the leaves to spread. You can now freeze them or leave them out, stem side up, for a few hours until ready to finish."
Reiko Callner
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end is excellent, too.
Nick
There are great videos on Youtube showing the prep knife work. Don't let fear of the unknown prevent you from this recipe.
Danielle Day
Fiber. Remember that artichokes have a lot of fiber. Eeeesh
TGP Italy
What a treat. I have made Carciofi alla Giudea a few times with Mammone Romane artichokes. I don't do it often enough to get the knife work down to a science the way I have seen it done in Rome (they use a shoe-soler's knife). So, I peel the outer leaves until the bottom is greener than purpler, then slice through the top, and trim the stem. Basta. I have experimented with single and double fry. Double frying takes forever (depending on the size of the choke) but gives the best results.
carl
"Expired" artichokes with wrinkled and cry outer petals are often sold cheap in markets. These, after trimming, are fine for frying.
imf747
Had fried artichokes in Rome and have been looking for a recipe like this ever since.
urvi answear
Where did anyone find frozen artichokes? Patty
Francesca
This is a traditional Roman- Jewish recipe. The description is quite accurate. The artichoke typology makes the difference. Try to find the "mammola" type.
Francesca
How to cut a roman artichoke ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDwMdriM7t4
Joan M
I have not cooked these but I have been lucky enough to eat them in Rome. Oh my, they are so very delicious.
Allan L.
I'm not sure why the center part has come to be referred to as the "choke". It's a thistle.
Jay Marks
Is there a preferred oil for this?Olive,vegetable, grapeseed?
Susan
Can I do this in my air fryer?
Patsy
How do you eat this thing?
Jennie
Followed directions precisely and this turned out to be a very fiddly and labor-intensive treat. Like artichoke-flavored potato chips with a sweet, juicy heart. Unlike my usual artichoke fails, I found these directions gave me enough information to actually trim the artichokes down to just the edible bits, rather than trying to choke down a mouthful of thorns.
Reiko Callner
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end is excellent, too.
Private notes are only visible to you.
Advertisement
