Game-Changer, Tip #6: Marinate Some Artichokes

Who doesn't love a good marinated artichoke heart, amiright? They're so dang versatile. Salads, fish, pizzas, frittatas, pastas, antipasto platters. Whir them with some of their oil in a food processor and you've got a homemade artichoke dip. Bam.


It's true, you can buy marinated artichoke hearts, ready to go. But if you hit the olive bar for those guys, you're looking at having to pony up somewhere around $9 a pound. And marinated artichoke hearts, with all of their lovely oily goodness, are not lightweights my friends - they have some heft to them. So, you might be unpleasantly surprised to find that the 4 whole artichoke hearts you managed to cram into that little plastic container cost more than the 6 pack you have in the other hand.

The ones on the shelf in the jar are cheaper, yes - but, they also include stuff like 'natural flavor' or preservatives and if you think that company is allowing you to pay a mere 3 bucks for artichokes packed in a high quality olive oil you are mistaken. Those artichokes that seem like kind of a good deal, are definitely packed in veggie oil - and I don't know about you, but given the choice, I'd rather be eating a heart-healthy oil, like olive oil. Not to mention, they usually taste rubbery and bland.


So. Here's the tip - make your own. Buy a 12 oz bag of frozen artichoke hearts from Trader Joe's for like $2.50 and get marinating.

The end result is much better bang for your buck and your taste buds. You're in full control of flavors and ingredients - so you can rest easy chomping into those artichoke hearts knowing they haven't been overly inundated with sodium, veggie oil or preservatives. Once marinated, you have them on hand as an easy and flavorful addition to - well - just about anything.


What you'll need:
1 12 oz package of frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup water
1 dried chili pepper or 1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 bay leaf
3-4 sprigs fresh oregano, rinsed and dried
1 lemon - zested into strips
5 cloves garlic, whole
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns


Bring all of the ingredients, except for the artichoke hearts, to a boil in a small pot over medium heat.  

Add artichoke hearts and mix to fully cover them in liquid. 

Turn the heat down and cook on a low simmer for 5 minutes. 

Using a slotted spoon, remove the artichoke hearts from the liquid and lay in a large bowl or dish to cool down to room temperature. 

{At this stage, I also retain the lemon strips, garlic cloves and chili pepper, since I want to keep those in the jar while the artichokes continue to marinade in oil, but that's up to you.}

Once the artichoke hearts have cooled down - pile them high in a 14-16 oz jar with a tight seal. 

Cover the artichoke hearts with good olive oil - make sure they are really completely blanketed by the oil - and close the jar. 

They're done. Ready to go.

{Tips}

If you don't have fresh oregano on hand, maybe go for a few sprigs of fresh thyme - or leave it out.

If you are adverse to spice, leave out the chili altogether.
You should store the artichokes in the fridge - they should last for at least a month.
Don't waste the oil - that's good stuff! Use the oil you have leftover for pestos, pasta sauces, omelettes or anything that can use and handle the extra flavor.