Grilled Artichokes with Citrus Shallot Vinaigrette

When summer rolls around, artichokes are always one of my favorite vegetables to make. I can never get enough! My typical artichoke prep involves steaming the artichokes with lemon, garlic, and herbs, then serving them with a citrusy, spicy mayo for dipping. Steaming the artichokes with aromatics really enhances the flavor of the artichoke “meat” and, who are we kidding, spicy mayo can really make anything delicious. My mom especially loves this artichoke preparation and insists I make these for her whenever we’re eating together and there are good looking artichokes at the store. Though I’ve showed her how to make them many times, she says they come out best when I make them. I guess it’s just nice to have someone cook for you sometimes, ya know?

With summer season comes grilling season. So I decided to switch up my artichoke game now that summer is here and we are grilling on the regular. These grilled artichokes with a citrus shallot vinaigrette came out SO tasty, this might be my new favorite way to make artichokes. Packing flavor, first from the char obtained on the grill and then from the shallot infused vinaigrette, these are perfect as a side dish with grilled steaks, or any protein on the grill really. You could also serve the grilled artichokes with a bountiful salad for a vegetarian lunch or dinner.

Feel free to change up the aromatics in the vinaigrette to suit whatever you are serving alongside your grilled artichokes. For example, substituting orange juice for lemon juice and adding some chopped, fresh rosemary could be a lovely complement to a whole chicken roasted over charcoal. If serving the grilled artichokes alongside grilled fish, a vinaigrette with champagne vinegar rather than red wine vinegar and fresh tarragon would be delicious.

The Wine Pairing

If I were choosing a wine to pair solely with the grilled artichokes with citrus shallot vinaigrette, I would probable grab a bottle of rosé. First, because rosé says summer time and there’s nothing quite like sipping on a crisp glass of rosé while grilling in the backyard with friends. More specifically, I’m thinking a rosé of grenache would work well with the grilled artichokes. Grenache rosés tend to be zesty and lean toward the fruity side of things with notes of strawberry and orange. This would complement the green, vegetal flavor of the artichokes and the moderately high acidity of a Grenache rosé would be a good match for the acidity in the citrus shallot vinaigrette.

For a white wine, a Pinot Gris would be a good pairing with its moderate acidity and notes of citrus and salinity. For a red wine, a bottle of Gamay would be a nice selection as Gamay’s moderately high acidity would match the acids in the vinaigrette and the fruit forward notes of raspberry and boysenberry would complement the green flavors of the artichokes along with the char from the grill. If you are serving the grilled artichokes as a side, then look to your main dish to lead the way when choosing a wine for the meal.

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Grilled Artichokes with Citrus Shallot Vinaigrette

The perfect artichoke recipe for summer! I love to use lemon with the vinaigrette, but fresh squeeze orange juice could work well here too. Fresh herbs like parsley or basil are also a great addition to the vinaigrette.

Ingredients

• 6 fresh artichokes
• 3 lemons
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. Place the diced shallot into a small bowl with the red wine vinegar. You could alternatively use white balsamic vinegar or a combination of the two. Allow the shallot to soak in the vinegar while you prepare the artichokes. This softens the bite of the shallot and will infuse the vinaigrette with more flavor.
   
   

3. Trim the stem of each artichoke to 1-inch long, then pull off dark outer leaves. Cut off the top inch of each artichoke with a cerated knife. Using a vegetable peeler, peel dark green areas from stem and base of artichoke. Quarter each artichoke. Cut out the fuzzy choke from the center of each quarter with a pairing knife.
   

4. Squeeze 2 lemons into a large bowl of cold water. As you work, place cleaned artichoke quarters into the lemon water bowl to preserve color. 
   

5. Once finished, drain the artichokes and place into boiling water and cook until tender yet still crisp, about 12 minutes.
   

6. Drain the artichokes from the pot of water and place onto the pre-heated grill. Turn occasionally. Cook until tender with some char marks from the grill. About 10 minutes.

7. While the artichokes are on the grill, prepare your vinaigrette. Whisk the shallot and vinegar mixture with the olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. You may also add any fresh chopped herbs like parsley or basil to the vinaigrette. 

8. Toss the grilled artichokes with the vinaigrette and serve.