Sautéed Baby Artichokes

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Another great find from the Italian store this week: fresh baby artichokes. It barely takes a few steps to prepare artichokes, but they take almost one hour to steam or boil. This recipe is a quick and easy alternative, and if you do not have baby artichokes, you can peel the hard, outer petals off and remove the fuzz to get closer to the heart – Yes! In case you did not know, artichokes are actually giant thistle flowers! Easy peazy! Instead of an appetizer, you get a tasty side dish to go with your chicken!

Ingredients for 2 servings:

6 baby artichokes

1 onion

3 cloves garlic

1 lemon

Vinegar (or lemon)

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil

1. To prepare the artichokes, peel off 2-3 layers of the hard, outer petals.

2. Cut the stem and 1 ½ inch off the tip.

3. Soak the prepared artichokes into a bowl of cold water spiked with vinegar to prevent any oxidation from occurring.

4. Heat ¼ cup of olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

5. Chop onion and garlic.

6. Drain and dry the artichokes using paper towels, then half or quarter them depending on their size.

7. Add the babies to the skillet, together with the onion and garlic.

8. Stir fry for 5-10 mins, until the babies are softened.

9. Season to taste and sprinkle with lemon juice and zest before serving.