The below guest post is from a good friend Diane Schreiber. If you’re an everday skeptic like moi, you may take one look at this recipe and say “No WAY can raw artichokes taste good.” I said the same thing over and over as I was making this salad, until I took a bite. Trust us, its goooooooood. The lesson? Don’t second guess a native New Yorker.
A photo from my version is below, and remember to start this a couple of hours before you want to eat it – the artichoke shavings need to soak in a citric bath to soften up.
- Hill
I grew up in a concrete jungle of Manhattan but I loved my little oasis on our terrace, a veggie garden. Spring and summer just produced this amazing bounty of goodness that kicked off my love for all things fresh. In the spring, artichokes were a passion in the family. In my crazy greek family it was stuffed, roasted and fried and I loved it all ways. However it wasn’t until I moved to California and visited artichoke country did I appreciate it in its raw state. I know, sounds shocking! But artichokes when sliced thinly and treated to a citric bath are definitely yummy spring eats!
Don’t be afraid, artichokes are not difficult, but they do have a lot of waste, accept it and move on. This recipe has simple ingredients, no whistles and bells. Just amazing tastes. If you like artichokes, you’ll love this. It is Spring on a plate.
Shaved Artichoke and Parmesan Salad by Diane Schreiber
Serves: 4 as a side salad
Meaty Monitor: Light, fresh and Spring-y. You’ll feel super healthy after this one.
Ingredients:
- 2 vitamin C capsules
- 3 to 4 lemons, halved
- 10 baby artichokes (or 4 regular sized artichoke)
- 1/4 pound piece Parmigiano-Reggiano, shaved with a veggie peeler
- 3 cups washed baby arugula
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling (high quality). About 1/4 cup.
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
Directions:
- Must Do Tip! Set up a bowl of acidulated water by breaking the vitamin C capsules into a large bowl of water and squeezing in the juice from 2 of the lemons. Toss in the 4 halves of the squeezed lemon as well. Artichokes oxidize before your eyes so you must, must, must set up this bowl of acidulated water first!
- Working one artichoke at a time, peel off the green outer leaves until you get down to the spring green color underneath. Trim off the tough outer layer of the stem and any brown spots. Cut the tip of the choke off (top of the leaves). This is the hardest part. Just hang in there.
- Very carefully, using a sharp knife, mandolin or v-slicer, very thinly shave the artichokes and put them immediately into the lemon water. The artichokes are best when done at least a couple of hours ahead so they can tenderize a little.
- To assemble the salad, spin the artichokes in a salad spinner to remove they excess water. Put the artichokes and arugula in a large serving bowl. Use a vegetable peeler to shave off long curls of Parmigiano-Reggiano, straight from the block.
- Dress the salad with the juice of the remaining lemon, drizzle with high quality extra virgin olive oil and season wiht salt and pepper to taste. The salad should be well-dressed and full flavored but not soggy.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
- Diane Schreiber
Very excited to give this a try! Raw artichoke? Who knew!