Baby Artichokes in Oil

Preparing baby artichokes in oil is a classic Italian method to preserve this vegetable and enjoy it out of season. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

• Fresh baby artichokes (quantity as desired, generally about 1 kg)
• White wine vinegar
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt
• Lemon (the juice)
• Aromatics of your choice (for example bay leaves, chili pepper, rosemary, garlic)

Preparation

1. Clean the baby artichokes by removing the outer tougher leaves and the tips. Cut them in half or into quarters, depending on the size, and remove any inner fuzz.
2. As you clean the baby artichokes, place them in water acidulated with lemon juice to prevent them from blackening.
3. Bring to a boil a pot of water with white wine vinegar and a pinch of salt. The ratio of water to vinegar should be about 3:1.
4. Rinse the baby artichokes and blanch them in the acidulated water for about 5 minutes, or until they start to soften.
5. Drain the baby artichokes and spread them out on a clean cloth, letting them dry completely.
6. Sterilize the glass jars in which you will store the baby artichokes by heating them in the oven or boiling them in water.
7. Fill the jars with the dry baby artichokes, adding the chosen aromatic herbs and if you want also some cloves of garlic.
8. Cover completely with extra virgin olive oil and make sure there are no air bubbles.
9. Close the jars tightly and store in a cool, dry place for at least a month before consuming. After opening, keep in the refrigerator.

These marinated baby artichokes are excellent for appetizers, salads, or as a side dish.

Curiosity

The addition of vinegar to the cooking water helps to keep the baby artichokes crunchier and preserves their brighter color. Remember that the quality of the extra virgin olive oil is very important in this recipe, as it will greatly contribute to the final flavor of your baby artichokes in oil.