Artichokes with Cilantro Jalapeño Vinaigrette

Copyright © 2013 by Luciana Davidzon. All rights reserved

Is there anyone out there who doesn’t love spring? It’s quite possibly my favorite season with perfect weather, neither hot nor cold, and the number of outdoor activities you can do are countless. This dish showcases everything lovely about my favorite season.

When you begin to see birds and flowers, your mood changes. It seems that this change in mood is felt not only by adults, but children, as well. In my child’s school drawings, snowmen, snowflakes, jackets, gloves, and scarves disappear and magically colorful flowers, birds and butterflies surface, instead.

To welcome in this scenic season, I have prepared an easy and light springtime dish. Artichokes are a vegetable that I grew up with; I love to buy them when I see them at the local market. My mom cooked them whole and served them with a lemon vinaigrette, and though they might seem a little intimidating, they are truly easy to prepare. They can be boiled or steamed and served with any sauce you enjoy. This just happens to be a family favorite.

Here, I paired my artichokes with an herby and fragrant vinaigrette, bright and acidic. Keep it elegant and trim off the leaves and enjoy the tender artichoke heart, the treasure, with extra vinaigrette.

Ingredients

4 to 6 artichokes

Cilantro jalapeño vinaigrette

1 handful and half fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon diced jalapeño peppers

½ teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon mustard

1 tablespoon lime juice

Salt and fresh pepper

3 1/3  ounces red wine vinegar

6 5/7 ounces olive oil 

Procedure for the artichokes

1. Wash the artichokes

2. Cut off the top inch and the stem of the artichokes

3. Trim the tips of the leaves with a kitchen scissor

4. Place a steaming basket in a large pot of water . Add the artichokes. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes or until the leaves come out easily. Alternatively, you can use an electric pressure cooker for 20 to 25 minutes.

 

Procedure for Cilantro vinaigrette

1.Chop the fresh cilantro

2. In a bowl, add the chopped cilantro, red wine vinegar, lime juice, honey and mustard

3. Salt and pepper.

4. Whisk slightly.

5. Slowly add olive oil and whisk continuously until it emulsifies