Grilled artichokes are an amazing appetizer, and this version is sure to impress your guests no matter what season you’re in.
I like to serve two different dipping sauces with my grilled artichokes in addition to the traditional melted clarified butter.
One of my favorite artichoke dipping sauces came from my mother-in-law. This curry aioli is made with a mixture of mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and a good-quality curry powder. I’ve never seen this sauce served anywhere here in the United States, but it is an incredibly delicious and complimentary accompaniment to your artichokes. Feel free to experiment with the Dijon/curry quantities to your taste.
Another nice sauce for grilled artichoke is my Southwest garlic aioli. The recipe uses chipotles in adobo sauce, a specialty canned product found in the Mexican food aisle of your supermarket. Feel free to make it without the chipotles for a traditional garlic aioli!
Grilled Artichokes with Two Dipping Sauces
Recipe by Jason Hill – CookingSessions.comIngredients
- 2-4 artichokes
- 1 lemon
- Melted butter
Southwest Aioli
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1-2 teaspoons minced chipotle peppers
- 1-4 teaspoons adobo sauce from the chipotles
- 1 head roasted garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Curry Aioli
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
Instructions
- Cut off the end of the stem on each artichoke. Remove some of the bottom leaves. With a paring knife, peel the outside of the stem.
- Cut the top portion of the artichoke with a sharp knife, which will remove most of the spines. You can nip the rest off with some kitchen shears.
- Artichoke oxides quickly, so spread some lemon juice on the leaves to prevent browning.
- Turn upside down and cut each artichoke in half. Remove the fuzzy choke with a spoon. You can do this after cooking if desired.
- Steam or boil in hot water for 30-45 minutes. The leaves should peel off easily when they are done. Always keep an eye on your water level or the artichokes can burn.
- Brush each half of the artichokes with melted butter.
- Preheat grill on high. Lay each artichoke down on its flat side for roughly 5 minutes, just enough time to get some grill marks. Remove from grill and serve with garlic aioli or curried Dijon mayonnaise. Don’t forget the heart and stem. It’s the best part!
