Baked Artichokes in Soy Sauce Vinaigrette

Artichokes can be enjoyed in many different ways - steamed, boiled, baked, grilled. While not my personal favorite, when in season, we do enjoy the bounty. I like it baked usually, but steamed and then marinated well in favorite dressing is good too, especially if the artichokes are quite tender to begin with.

As I noted earlier, it can be a bit tedious to eat the artichokes, but if it is indeed a favorite item, that point is moot, I am sure :)

These how-to-prepare videos are quite helpful, and I followed the baked artichokes method listed there for the general methodology, which I am not reproducing here.

The marinade/dressing can be simple:

soy sauce + sambal oelek + minced garlic for a few

balsamic vinegar + olive oil + salt for a few

raspberry red wine vinegar + agave nectar + finely grated ginger + cayenne pepper powder for a few

I vary this each time to keep it interesting, and to use what's handy. Just drizzle some, wrap in foil and bake as directed. Or, steam as directed, drizzle some dressing, allow to marinate for an hour or two (even up to overnight in the fridge) and enjoy scraping the tasty flesh off the petals.

The hairy choke part can be removed easily with a spoon once it is fully cooked. The tender heart is my favorite part of the artichokes.

Along with some fresh-from-the-garden spinach salad and cous-cous patties, these baked artichokes can be a fantastic feast.