How To Prepare...Artichoke Hearts

Artichokes--a large edible thistle--are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron and calcium. I should confess that i use a canned, not marinated, variety at CR. I would prefer to use frozen, they have a much better texture, but i have yet to find a good source of those. For cooking at home you can find frozen varieties at New Seasons or Trader Joe's. There are two local artichoke seasons a year, late spring and a late summer, although non-local varieties can be found year round now. Unfortunately, I do not have the time or resources to prep enough fresh artichokes for the center.

This is a flowering artichoke that grew in front of ChildRoots last summer.
I have a very simple method for the artichokes. Artichokes are usually a guest star in a recipe, I want to make it more of a side dish. First I place them in a strainer and rinse them for a few minutes to get rid of as much of the briny flavor as possible. Then I let them drip for awhile and let the excess moisture drain away.The artichokes are then tossed with olive oil, salt and thyme. Then they are layered onto sheet pans and roasted in a very hot oven till the tips take on a dark brown color.
At home you can use the roasted artichokes in so many ways, besides as a tasty side dish. My favorite uses would be in pastas or a frittata with heirloom tomatoes and spinach.