Artichokes are a vegetable that have a detoxifying effect on the liver, meaning they reduce the negative effects of alcohol. In addition, they stimulate the kidneys and improve the production of bile which helps digest fat and reduces cholesterol. Artichokes were used in the past as a natural agent for lowering cholesterol. Artichokes also contain lots of fibre, nearly 30% of your Recommended Daily Allowance. This vegetable is therefore full of important nutrients.
Most people eat only the heart of the artichoke, but most of the nutrients are in the leaves. Inside is the ‘choke’, a hairy, fibrous interior that you cannot eat and should remove.
INGREDIENTS for 4 people
325 ml of olive oil
4-6 cloves of garlic
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon of mustard
2 tablespoons of chopped tarragon
4 tablespoons of lemon juice
4 artichokes
Tablespoon of salt
Pinch of pepper
PREPARATION
Mix 75 ml of olive oil with tarragon, 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Remove about a third of the top of the artichoke with a sharp knife. Remove the hard outer leaves and the tips of the leaves. Leave 2-3 cm of the stem, and peel it.
Cut the artichoke in half lengthwise, including the stem. Remove the choke and place the artichokes in a bowl with the olive oil mixture and leave to marinate for an hour at room temperature. Remove them from the bowl, keeping the marinade. Place the artichoke halves in the middle of the grill. Grill them until they are soft, about 20-25 minutes, and continue to baste with the remaining marinade.
For the mayonnaise, peel the garlic cloves and squeeze them into a bowl. Add the egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and salt and pepper and beat with a mixer. Slowly start to add the remaining oil during beating and then add the oil slightly faster. Finally add the mustard.
Serve the artichokes with the garlic mayonnaise.