Crispy roasted artichokes will make you fall in love with vegetables again

Springtime is artichoke time! The kooky-looking veg is at the peak of its season, so there’s no better time to savor its rich, meaty flavor.

They’re super-easy to prepare with this Gimme Some Oven recipe, too. “The Most Amazing Roasted Artichokes” take only about an hour to put together, and most of that time is spent with the ‘chokes in the oven.

Honestly, the hardest part of enjoying artichokes is the prep work. If you’ve never made them at home, they look a bit intimidating. Where to begin? Fortunately, GSO blogger Ali Martin filmed a handy-dandy little video with the basics on selecting and prepping a great artichoke:

Once you’ve got your artichokes ready to go, slice them in half lengthwise. Place the halves on a baking sheet (or in a baking dish), cut-side up, and brush them with olive oil or butter. Stuff the divot in the middle of each half with garlic and any herbs you prefer, then season them with salt and pepper.

Flip the halves over, brush them with your olive oil/butter, sprinkle some more salt and pepper and then — roast away! Let the ‘chokes cook uncovered for the first 10 minutes, then cover them loosely with foil. They’re done when a knife easily pokes through the stem.

Martin recommends a final splash of lemon juice after you remove the herbs from each half. And that’s it!

Of course, for some artichoke aficionados, an accompanying dip is part of the attraction. Martin recommends a simple lemon-butter sauce. Over at PureWow, Erin McDowell suggests whipping up a quick garlic aioli.

On Health Starts in the Kitchen, it’s homemade horseradish sauce on the side. The HSITK recipe also adds convenience by suggesting the use of precut, frozen artichoke hearts for roasting. (I’m all about convenience.)

All of these recipes sound pretty great to me. I’m headed to the kitchen now!