Okey dokey smokey hokey pokey artichokey.
Oh my gahhhhhd I did not know what I was in for with this recipe. Jeff and I had been couch and counter shopping alllll freaking day before these babies hit the oven. And between you and me, while I could easily live at West Elm, I think I spent a bit more time than I needed to there. On purpose. Why? Because I was a wee bit stressed about coming home and trying my hand at this roasted artichoke idea that only existed in my brain. To be completely honest, I had never cooked an artichoke before this lovely challenge came along. I couldn’t wait to partner with Ocean Mist Farms, the largest grower of fresh artichokes in the United States, but I was super intimidated by this funky fabulous green veg.
To my surprise, cooking artichokes is actually super simple. When it doubt, roast it out! After many a video on how to cook an artichoke, I rolled a million ways into one, added a few cups of love, and voila. This fuss-free roasted artichoke recipe could not have turned out better! Simply slice, season, bake, and devour. And oh, the dip! The velvety smooth, totally luxurious, thick and creamy best friend of the ‘choke is made from none other than the cashew. Gazuntite. Most dipping sauces for artichokes tend to be mayonnaise-based. While there’s definitely a time and a place for mayo, I’m a huge fan of using cashews when I can for the same creaminess with a bit of lemon or vinegar for bite. It takes about forty-seven seconds to whip up and almost makes me weep from its simple greatness.
The combo of roasted artichokes with creamy cashew aioli is bright and nutty and savory and so satisfying. It’s the perfect party appetizer, doncha think? But wait, there’s more! Did you know that if the artichoke isn’t harvested from the plant, it grows into a gorgeous blue flower? How cool is that? It’s also pretty neat that one medium artichoke boasts seven grams of fiber, four grams of protein, 12% of the daily value of vitamin K, and 25% of the daily value of vitamin C. Hubba hubba! Eat, dip, be merry, and win a vaca! Is that so hard? Print
