I'm going to spare you the photo on this one, because somehow with anything oil-marinated, all my photos turn out looking slimy and repulsive. In person they're perfectly appetizing, though, I promise.
It's artichoke season in sunny California, and the plants in my backyard have had a bumper crop this year. In years when I have just a few artichokes, I prefer to eat them steamed whole, but this year I could eat an artichoke for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and still have extra, so I've been just eating the hearts and composting the rest. It takes 4-5 large artichokes to fill a pint jar.
To trim the artichokes, first chop off the top couple inches, and cut the stem flush with the base. Remove the outer leaves until you reach the softer, pale-yellow leaves on the inside. Now trim off any dark green parts that remain on the bottom of the artichoke. Next, cut the artichoke in half lengthwise, and use the tip of a spoon to scrape out the hairy choke. Cut into bite-sized pieces, rubbing the cut sides with lemon juice as you go (they turn brown almost instantly if you don't do this).
Toss the artichoke hearts with olive oil, plenty of white wine, a sprinkle of salt, and a little tarragon. Bake at 425 degrees in a covered pan for about 35 minutes, or until artichoke hearts are soft.
I keep a big mason jar of these in my fridge, and use them for snacking or tossing on salads or pasta. They'll last at least a week, probably longer.
Artichokes are a totally fun veggie. Steamed, or stuffed. What fun to have in your back yard.
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