I may never eat a plain, steamed artichoke again. I’ve come up with a way to grill them that is absolutely delicious!

First of all find some beautiful artichokes on sale. Next prep the artichokes by quartering them if they are very large or halving them if they are smaller. Remove the choke with a small knife and/or spoon and cut the tips off of the outer leaves.

Next put them in a pot of salted boiling water. Simmer for 50-90 minutes depending on the size of your artichokes and how tender you like them. Remove from water and drain. Then dredge them in a mixture of the following ingredients (these are approximate amounts- I don’t really measure for something like this)

For 2 artichokes:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 heaping Tablespoons minced garlic (I used the ready-to-use type in a jar of liquid)

juice from 1 lemon

salt & pepper to taste

fresh or dried rosemary to taste

Note: You will want to adjust the above amounts to your taste.

Now it is time to grill the artichokes for that smokey charred flavor. Place cut side down on the oiled grill at medium to medium high for 15-20 minutes. Once again you will need to adjust the time for your grill. After the cut side is nicely browned, flip the artichokes and sprinkle with fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Grill for another 5-10 minutes until the cheese melts a bit.

Remove from grill, turn off the gas and start scraping off the yumminess with your teeth! No melted butter or additional condiments are necessary.

Any leftovers warm up very nicely in the microwave on a low setting. Two presses of the “Melt” button on my microwave is perfect.

I hope you enjoy this simple, delicious recipe!