Artichokes are sexy little beasts. They tout an armor of jagged, prickly scales to ward off those not in the know of what lies beneath. If one is stealth enough to distract the leaves into submission, tender bits of edible flesh are revealed upon their dainty bottoms. Quick plucks. Tender swipes between teeth. Layer upon layer of sustenance. When naked, all leaves discarded with abandon, a finale beckons. The heart. Camouflaged with a final diversion of inedible choke spindles to ward off those faint of appetite. With a turn of wrist, wielding a tool of choice, the choke’s hairy strands break away and the heart is yours.
As a child, these thistle flower buds were a staple in our house because Lady is mad about them. Maybe they were a culinary tie to her California roots while residing in New England? Because of her artichoke hankerings, we all learned at a young age how to maneuver around the poky edges of the leaves, to separate the fuzzy choke from the heart, and to gather the thin and delicate innermost leaves for a one-two-three gnaw. When I lived in the North End, I often made dinner of ample artichokes from Alba Produce on Parmenter Street, dipped in mayo flavored with steamed garlic.
Recently, while lunching with Sierra at The Friendly Toast, I ordered a Make Your Own omelette. My stuffing of choice? Artichoke hearts mingled with a blend of brie, goat cheese & avo/lime sauce. As we ate in late-afternoon-hungered-silence, a soupçon of inspiration struck. I knew a recipe was in mind, but it’d be days before lucid formation. First, I considered deviled eggs crafted with bits of artichoke heart and goat cheese. Then, while resting at a red light on my way to work, I flipped everything around. The spotlight would be on my darling artichoke hearts, turned a tad naughty with the fixings of deviled eggs and then some. Devilish Hearts.
Note: If you, like my dear Nils and PerryA, have never eaten an artichoke, please refer to this handy site, as they provide all the info about the health bennies and choke eating instruction you need. I’d hate to have you scraping from the wrong end as those dears did. Dive in like an expert choke eater, and you’ll be happy you took some time out to study.
Hearty Little Devils
Artichoke leaves rise up, ripe for plucking and already full with this devilish dip. As each leaf is tugged from the group, the mixture tumbles onto the leaves beneath—utensil-free, leisurely consumption at its best. Double-dipping is a must. The provocative heart perks up with the shallot, tomatillo, cumin and garlic. Crème fraîche, eggs and avocado are smooth. Feta and spices converse sassy flavors. Serve with a spicy Gwerztraminer, dry rosé or crisp Chardonnay. Make good use of extra dip with a spread across Sourdough bread.
5 artichokes
5 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
6 large eggs
1 cup crème fraîche
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 avocado, halved, pitted, flesh scooped
1/4 cup finely diced shallot
1/4 cup diced tomatillo
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 t yellow mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon ground pink peppercorns, plus a few pinches for garnish sprinkle
Fill a deep large pot with an inch of cold water. Tuck a steamer basket in bottom of pot, making sure water graces just below the basket’s bottom. Cover with a lid and place over a medium-high heat.
Prepare the artichokes /
Trim about an inch from the worn ends of stems. Pluck away the first couple rows of leaves clinging closest to the stem. Using a peeler, remove the tough stem exterior, peeling from the base of the leaves toward stem’s bottom, revealing the pale green edible flesh.
With a sharp knife, cut off the top inch of the leaves, revealing a hidden blushing yellow and dark magenta blossom. Rinse the artichokes thoroughly with cool water.
When the water on the stove top is boiling, use tongs to carefully place the artichokes into the basket, stems facing upward. When all are snug in the pot, scatter garlic atop the artichokes, away from the water spurting through the basket. Cover and lower the heat to medium. Steam for 45 minutes.
Assemble the devilish dip /
Fill halfway a medium pot with cold water. Heat water to a rolling boil. Carefully place eggs in the water with the tongs. Cover and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes. While the eggs rattle in the water, fill a medium bowl with a cold water bath. Once the eggs are cooked, use the tongs to snatch the eggs from the pot and gently place them in the cold water bath.
In a medium bowl, add crème fraîche, mayonnaise, feta, avocado, shallot, and tomatillo. Using a fork, combine these ingredients by stirring and mashing to break down the avocado and feta crumbles.
Once the artichokes and garlic are steamed tender, grab the artichokes from the pot by securing the tongs around the leaves and not the stem as it’s too tender now. Place the artichokes and garlic on a plate to cool.
Time for the eggs /
Tap and peel the shell from each egg. Dunk them into the bath to rinse off any lingering shell fragments. Halve each egg and add to the Dip mixture. Pinch each soft garlic clove free from its peel and plop them into the mixture. Sprinkle the mixture with the celery salt, ground cumin, yellow mustard seed, sweet paprika, dill weed and 1/4 t ground pink peppercorns.
Mash with potato masher until eggs are combined. Stir with a spatula to unite the whole lot.
Plating /
Each artichoke will plate a single serving. To assemble, peel away the leaves and layer them in a circular pattern around a small bowl. (I used small wooden bowls we inherited from Nils’s granddad.) Once the leaves are thinned out and the heart breaks away easily, spoon away the layer of spindly choke by scraping tenderly in a counterclockwise direction, revealing the heart. Plant a hefty serving of the Dip in the center of the dish. Sprinkle with flecks of pink peppercorns for color. Top with the heart, stem facing upward.
What a neat combination here with artichokes, feta and avocado and spices! I love all your pictures here especially the picture of pink peppercorns!
We love artichokes at our house and this looks marvelous. Will definitely have to give it a try!
Wow, nice risqué writing in the beginning! ;-)
This sounds GREAT!! I can’t wait to tell my sister about this; she loves making deviled eggs and I’m sure she would welcome the twist. My cousin-in-law I’m sure would love this dish too(avid artichoke fan). The cumin is a great spice to add and with the combination of the other ingredients it must have be delish! I can’t wait to make this!
Wait……..God Bless You!! ;-)
…and, as always, love the pics!!!
Natasha,
Thank you! I raided our spice cabinet for inspiration. Phew, it actually turned out well ;)
Kristen,
Please let me know if you try the recipe. I’m curious about any tweaks you’d suggest.
Kim,
Oh lady, thanks for the blessing. I was sneezing my lil heart out all day today. You were so patient! Hopefully I sweat out all the sniffles in my hot yoga class tonight. Thanks for sending this recipe along to friends & family—very appreciated!
Best first sentence. After that, I couldn’t wait for more!
Sarah,
Thanks ;) I attempted a few different beginnings and settled on that one as all flowed like mad from there…
Oh, this looks so good! Love all the feta, it pairs so well with artichokes!
Beautiful combination of artichokes, crème fraîche, feta cheese and avocado! It looks amazing! Thanks for sharing tips of preparing the artichokes. It looks really easy to cook.
I love artichoke dip and yours looks and sounds extra good. And your photos are beautiful!! Gives me a new appreciation for artichokes :)
Kerstin,
I also planned to add goat cheese, but snagged a lemon-flavored variety, in haste. I suppose it’s meant to be the way it is… ;)
Larissa,
Many thanks! I wasn’t sure how appetizing the photos would be with all of the green elements…As for the recipe, the artichokes take care of themselves while steaming and all else falls easily into place while they are busied.
Sues,
So happy to read that! I spied some purple baby artichokes this weekend and think your appreciation would triple just at the sight of them. Little darlings, I tell you!
Lady may have California roots and we certainly do have fab chokes out this way. But your specimens have done both coasts proud. GREG
Thanks Greg!
That dish looks and sounds delicious! I love artichokes…
cheers,
Rosa
Many thanks Rosa!
Artichokes are definitely one of my favorite vegetables out there because of their ‘event food’ status. There’s just no denying their importance when they are featured in a meal. Lovely pictures and wonderful ideas for how to enjoy them!
Yum!
Brooke,
I agree that artichokes know how to shine as the star of a dish. As always, thanks for stopping by, girlie.