Marinated Artichoke Hearts with Herbs
Tender artichoke hearts marinated in olive oil, lemon, and fresh herbs—elegant and effortless
- 14 ozartichoke hearts(canned or jarred, drained)
- 0.25 cupextra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbspfresh lemon juice
- 1 tbspfresh parsley(chopped)
- 1 tbspfresh basil(chiffonade)
- 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
- 0.5 tspdried oregano
- 0.25 tspred pepper flakes(optional)
- 0.5 tspsalt
- 0.25 tspblack pepper
Marinate up to 3 days ahead—flavor improves with time. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
- 1Drain artichoke hearts and pat dry
- 2Quarter any large hearts
- 3Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper
- 4Toss artichokes in marinade
- 5Let marinate at least 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to 3 days
- 6Bring to room temperature before serving
- 7Toss with fresh parsley and basil just before serving
- 8Arrange on platter and drizzle with extra marinade
Use high-quality jarred artichokes packed in water, not marinated. Add shaved Parmesan for non-vegan version. Serve with crusty bread to soak up marinade.
Artichokes have been prized in Mediterranean cooking since classical antiquity. Ancient Greek and Roman sources mention the cynara or carduus — a thorny thistle related to the artichoke — as a cultivated vegetable served to the wealthy. Columella's agricultural treatise from the 1st century CE documents artichoke cultivation in Roman Italy. The artichoke as we recognize it today, with its fleshy bracts and developed heart, is believed to have been further selected and cultivated by Arab farmers in North Africa, from where it spread to Sicily and then to mainland Italy during the Arab period of Sicilian influence in the 9th and 10th centuries. The artichoke was a significant commodity in Renaissance Italian markets — they appeared in Florentine market records from the 15th century — and Catherine de' Medici is said to have brought a passion for artichokes with her when she married the French King Henry II in 1533, popularizing them in France. Marinating cooked artichoke hearts in olive oil with garlic, herbs, and a touch of acid is a preservation method with roots in the Italian sottaceti tradition and the broader Mediterranean practice of agrodolce (sweet and sour) preservation. The marinated artichoke as a commercial product became widely available in American grocery stores from the mid-20th century and has been an antipasto platter staple since then.