These Olive Oil Roasted Baby Artichokes are a great way to make use of tender young artichokes. Baked with olive oil and Rosemary, they are the perfect beginning to any meal.
The sole purpose of an appetizer is to ready your stomach for great meals to come. Some of my favourite appetizers here on the blog are these highly addictive Maple Gochujang Wings and of course…arancini! But not just any arancini…Japarancini! Check out these Arancini made with Barley and Shiitake Mushrooms for a fun flavour spin on a classic Italian appetizer.
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Olive Oil Roasted Artichokes
Olive Oil Roasted Baby Artichokes are an Italian treat that we look forward to every year when baby artichokes are in stores. These little guys are much easier to prepare, with tender flesh and fewer leaves than mature artichokes. Roasting them in olive oil flavoured with garlic and fresh herbs makes them extremely tender and flavourful. Using fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme mixed with bread crumbs finishes the dish off with a bit of texture and extra boost of flavour.
What is on Your Food Bucket List?
Do you have a food ‘bucket list’? Have you ever waited what seemed like forever to cook with a specific ingredient? There are quite a few on my food bucket list, including some fresh fruit and vegetables rarely seen in North America. On my wish list are bergamot citrus, authentic Hungarian dried paprika made from peppers by little old Nagyanas and cooking with hops.
How to Choose Baby Artichokes
While shopping at the nearby Italian Centre Shop, I found the fourth food bucket list item; tiny baby artichokes at the peak of their season. They fit into the palm of my hand and I could tell they were still quite fresh as they were plump and tight at the same time.
How to Roast Baby Artichokes
Back at home, I knew exactly how I wanted to cook them…Italian style Roasted Baby Artichokes! I say that they are olive oil roasted but really they are quite close to confited because they were engulfed almost entirely in olive oil. I added some of my fresh garden lemon thyme and rosemary to the oil as well as a few cloves of garlic.
How to Finish Roasted Baby Artichokes
Will they were in the oven, I added some more herbs to finely ground breadcrumbs. Mixing some of that herb flavoured olive oil into the breadcrumbs after the artichokes were finished roasting and scattered the breadcrumbs over the artichokes completed the dish both visually and texturally.
Pin Olive Oil Roasted Baby Artichokes HERE.
Olive Oil Roasted Baby Artichokes
These Olive Oil Roasted Baby Artichokes are a great way to make use of tender young artichokes. Baked with olive oil and Rosemary, they are the perfect beginning to any meal.
Ingredients
- 9 baby artichokes; fresh and firm
- 3 cloves garlic; peeled and crushed
- 1 lemon
- fresh herbs such as rosemary and thyme
- salt and pepper
- 1 – 2 cups olive oil
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
Notes
NOTE: The nutritional data is quite off as the large amount of olive oil is not consumed but used to cook the artichokes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1528Total Fat: 146gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 121gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 406mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 22gSugar: 5gProtein: 13g
Oh, what a treat! I bet these were absolutely incredible Bernice. I love artichokes and you’re right, they’re so difficult to find in Calgary. I’ve never been to the Italian Centre Shop — looks like I’ll be paying them a visit soon!
Artichokes are so under rated!! I can’t believe you have never been the Italian Centre…it’s like a foodie wonderland. Seriously, go. If you need a difficult to find ingredient THIS is the place that usually has it.
Oh! I can imagine that these Olive Oil Roasted baby artichokes are so very yummy! Adding the fresh herbs from your garden is a great idea to enhance the delicate flesh so well. Thank you for the step by step instructions, too!
Thanks for stopping by Denise. Fortunately when you’re preparing baby artichokes there’s a lot less waste than the larger tougher ones. I always feel so guilty throwing so much away. They are very delicate as they don’t even have a developed ‘choke’ yet!
My only attempt at artichokes was not a good one. I think because the artichokes that I had were not very fresh and were pretty tough. But yours look wonderful and inspire me to try again. I need to go find some baby artichokes now!
Oh for sure. Freshness is very important when you’re using artichokes. I had seen the baby artichokes on a previous trip to the store but they were quite soft and leathery. I’m a squeezer when it comes to fruits and veg! When I gave these the squeeze test and they were nice and firm I filled my bag!
What a beautifully simple way to showcase a fantastic ingredient like artichoke! You made them justice and what beautiful pictures! Hopefully, those tiny baby ones were tender! I remember buying some artichokes here in Edmonton and I had to remove almost all the outer leaves and the inside to have an edible artichoke 😉 .
Yes, artichokes are a lot of work and a lot of waste to get to the delicious inner portion. Fortunately, if you find firm fresh baby artichokes there’s less waste and you don’t have to remove the inside portion. If you find baby artichokes it’s like a gold mine for artichoke lovers!
I haven’t made those for years! Thanks so much for the reminder. My kids used to love these, loaded with garlic!
oooh how nice! Does that mean you have a reliable supplier of baby artichokes or have you grown your own?
How cool! That”s something I’ve never cooked either, just had them in Italy like everyone else! I’m envious! They look gorgeous.
Thank you Mimi! And now I’m envious that you had these in Italy!! I love hearing about your Italy adventures.
Seriously yummmmmm!
Thank you Lenny!! 🙂