Grilled Artichokes with Calabrian Chili Mayo Recipe

The best part is that most of the work happens in the boiling pot — once the artichokes are tender, a quick turn on the grill gives them a beautiful char. The Calabrian chili mayo comes together in minutes and makes the whole thing feel special. Round out your table with Taralli or Baked Fig Brie. Cheese Saganaki is a crowd-pleasing classic alongside. Open a box of Gratsi Sparkling White.

To trim the artichokes, start by pulling off the tougher outside leaves until you get to the leaves that are white at the bottom. Next, trim off the bottom 1/2 inch of the stem (I like to leave them stem on as it's edible and delicious). Using a paring knife, trim around the stem to remove the tougher outer parts, and clean up around the base of the artichoke where you removed the outer leaves. Next, use a serrated knife to cut off the top 1 inch of the artichoke leaves. Cut the artichoke in half, then place in a bowl of water with 1 lemon squeezed in. Repeat with rest of your artichokes. 

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add in your artichokes. Boil for 25-35 minutes until the artichoke stem is fork tender. Remove, then using a spoon scoop out the choke part from each artichoke half. 

While the artichoke is boiling , whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil along with a big pinch of salt. Set aside until ready to grill.

Before grilling, brush the artichoke halves with the olive oil mixture. Preheat your grill to a medium-high heat, around 350-400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your artichokes on the grill and cook, flipping and basting frequently, until they leaves, heart, and stem have a nice char, about 10 minutes. Remove from the grill. 

Add olive oil, egg + egg yolk, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and a pinch of salt to a wide-mouth jar that is just wide enough to accommodate your immersion blender. Place your blender firmly at the bottom of the jar, then turn it on to the lowest setting. Keep the blender firmly at the bottom of the jar until most of the oil has emulsified with the egg. Once you don't see any more movement, you can begin to slowly lift the blender up until all of the oil is incorporated. Stir in your Calabrian chili paste with a spoon and add more salt if needed. 

If you don't want to make mayo from scratch, mix your favorite store-bought mayonnaise with lemon, salt, and Calabrian chili paste. 

Serve grilled artichokes with Calabrian chili olive oil mayo for dipping and extra lemon on the side. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.