Braised Artichokes (Mediterranean Inspired)
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Pan roasted and braised artichokes in a stove top skillet, combined with lemon, garlic, capers and a few tomatoes (for color!) is a delicious artichoke recipe that can be eaten as a side dish or combined with seasoned air fried chicken tenders or pasta for a filling main dish. Using fresh artichokes, this recipe softens this flower bud (Yes, an artichoke is a flower bud!) for a totally edible and super flavorful artichoke that is sure to be your favorite.
While artichokes make their appearance many times as an additive to salads, dips or in cream sauces, they are also just as good eaten alone and are not complicated to make at all. This braising method, that marinates artichokes and leaves them super tender, is great way to eat homemade Mediterranean Greek food from your own kitchen.
Why you will love Braised Artichokes
Gourmet Side Dish – Side dishes seem to always be the same thing – potatoes, carrots, salads….and there is nothing wrong with that! But artichokes, with their earthy rich flavors, are the perfect gourmet and unique fancy side dish.
One Pan – The white wine, caper and garlic mixture go right in with the artichokes, allowing an easy one pan menu item.
Change up the Flavors – Sticking with its roots, we enjoy the Greek Inspired flavors, but artichokes go well with lemon and pepper, dill sauces, aioli, or even spiced up with chili combinations.
Ingredients
Before getting started on this side dish, here is the ingredient list. The tomatoes are optional but as artichokes turn a dull green (which also happens when you pressure cook artichokes too), tomatoes make for a prettier presentation while still sticking to the same cultural cuisine.
This dish can be altered fairly easily to add Greek olives, mushrooms, different types of onions (white over red), and even a little sprinkle of feta cheese at the end if you so choose.
- lemon – its fine to use a fresh lemon or lemon juice
- fresh artichokes – fresh artichokes have tightly packed leaves
- cooking oil (like Virgin Olive Oil)
- red, white or yellow onion – I prefer the taste of red onions in this dish, but it is fine to change onion types and all go fairly well
- capers – capers come jarred
- dry thyme – fresh thyme is fine as well, just do the conversion from dry to fresh
- white cooking wine – while I suggest leaving the white cooking wine, in some cases people do not prefer any cooking wines. Its fine to leave out and instead use a bit more chicken broth OR add a tad of white vinegar in its place
- cherry tomatoes – optional but really pretty and highly suggested
- fresh parsley – garnish, optional
Prepping Fresh Artichokes for Skillet
Prior to getting started on this artichoke, you need to prep it. Because artichoke leaves brown, they go into a lemon water to keep them looking fresh and beautiful until continuing onto the next stages in the recipe.
- Add cold water to a large bowl.
- Squeeze lemon into bowl and add squeezed halves directly to the bowl.
- Set water bowl aside.
How to Braise Artichokes
Make sure to check out the printable recipe card for full step by step instructions and ingredients.
- In a skillet add cooking oil (EVOO suggested), onion, salt and pepper.
- Heat over medium heat until onions begin to brown.
- Add garlic, capers and thyme and cook for an additional minute.
- Stir in wine and heat on medium high, reducing liquid to half. Add chicken broth.
- Remove artichokes from water and add to skillet.
- Cover and heat on medium low for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally until artichokes are fork tender.
FAQ’s
Braising is a cooking method that brings a liquid up high on heat and then lowers it for longer cooking. Meats and vegetables can both be braised and creates a soft tender meal.
Pan roasting typically involves adding cooking oil to a skillet that either stays on the oven or gets transferred mid cooking to the oven.
Related Recipes
I think Greek dishes are so popular because on the whole they are healthy, pretty and contain tons of fresh vegetables. If prepping for some Mediterranean recipes in your home, here are a few more to try out.
- Try Roasted Eggplant and Zucchini, which is a large sheet pan side dish that is served warm.
- No need to have Greek Salad cold all the time – this alteration on Baked Greek Salad goes amazing with seafood.
- Speaking of seafood, try Mediterranean salmon baked with red peppers – totally light and easily done in the oven.
- Last but certainly not least in this flavor medley, is heirloom tomato salad. If you have never used heirloom tomatoes in side salads, they provide SO much flavor and color varieties. This salad is a great large group salad for potlucks but also pretty enough for holidays.
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Braised Artichokes Mediterranean Style
Ingredients
- 1 lemon halved
- 3 fresh artichokes
- cold water
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 cup onion
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
- 1/2 white cooking wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- How to Prep ArtichokesPlacing artichokes in lemon water preserve them from turning brown until they are needed.
- Add cold water to a large bowl.
- Squeeze lemon into bowl and add lemon halves to the bowl. Set bowl aside.
- Peel off the small leaves at the base of the artichoke.
- Snip the tips of the remaining leaves.
- Cut 1/2" off of the top end of the artichoke.
- Slice the bottom stem to about 1/2".
- Slice the artichoke in half and use a spoon to scoop out the purple leaves and fuzzy choke.
- Slice each artichoke half into quarters and put into the cold water.
- Repeat until all artichokes are cut and in the water.
- How to Braise Artichokes
- In a large cast iron skillet add cooking oil, red onion, and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat over medium heat until onions begin to brown.
- Add minced garlic, capers and dried thyme and cook for an additional minute.
- Stir in white cooking wine and heat on medium high, reducing liquid to about half.
- Add chicken broth.
- Remove artichokes from water bowl and add to skillet.
- Cover pan and heat on medium low for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally until artichokes are tender.
- Garnishing Skillet Artichokes
- Stir in tomatoes and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Mix well before serving and top with chopped fresh parsley.
- Need more options over tomatoes? Try Kalamata olives, cooked mushrooms or add a sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: The nutritional data provided here is auto-calculated and intended for your convenience only. As it’s generated via automation, its accuracy may be compromised. For precise nutritional insight, please compute the values utilizing the actual ingredients in your recipe through your chosen nutrition calculator or application.
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