Crispy Artichoke Fries? What?

Yes, we thought the same thing. And the fries are a little misleading, at least in the way we cooked them, because even though they are technically fried, they didn’t turn out like fries! (that could be because we made a big substitution, as usual, but they were still awesome)

This is a great side dish from Canyon Ranch Miami Beach and can provide a nice change from the usual potato fries with a burger or grilled chicken. I am usually not a huge fan of artichokes but this dish has changed my mind because they are so zesty, crisp, and full of flavor without having to add too much salt and pepper.

First, I got the water boiling, preheated the oven to 375, and started gathering all of the necessary ingredients. Once the water is at a boil put your artichokes in a basket and set them in for about 5 minutes so that they defrost. I used frozen artichoke hearts because, to be honest, I was not entirely sure what an artichoke bottom was and couldn’t find it at Wegman’s. While they are boiling prep the coating by adding the rest of the ingredients. I eyeballed all of the measurements because it is supposed to be a simple and fun dish and you can never have too much garlic and parmesan cheese.

After preparing the mixture grab a pan and lightly coat it with oil so nothing sticks. I know that the mixture has oil in it and probably shouldn’t stick but I wanted to be sure. Once the artichokes are out and cooled a little so you can handle them toss everything into your bowl and mix everything up evenly.

Next, nicely arrange your hearts on the pan and pop it in the oven. It took about 30 minutes for me to get a nice color. I would almost recommend raising the temperature to 400 degrees and decreasing the cook time. The point is to get a nice crisp edge on the artichokes. They are like little poppers and are addictive! Serve them hot and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound frozen artichoke bottoms
1/2 teaspoon minced lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Crispy Artichoke Fries