5 Ingredients or Fewer

Artichokes with Parsley and Preserved Lemon Pesto

by:
May  5, 2010
4.5
2 Ratings
Photo by Nicole Franzen
  • Prep time 30 minutes
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • Serves 4 as a side dish
Author Notes

A friend of mine threw some herbs, salt, and garlic together once and sauteed it with some zucchini and it was really delicious, so I've been trying variations on it. If you don't have preserved lemon, regular lemon zest might be fine, if a bit stronger. But really, you should just preserve some lemons. They're great. I just salt-preserved some kumquats...going to try them next! This recipe is great as a side dish or as crudite (maybe with a little cheese or something). Basically, this pesto has been my go-to flavoring when I don't have much else on hand because it goes with just about anything - tofu, veggies, mushrooms, shrimp, whatever, and only takes a minute to whip up. The preserved lemon goes especially well with the artichoke. - solmstea —solmstea

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: Solmstea is a creative, fearless cook from Southern California (she scuba dives for lobsters!).
WHAT: A bright, summery take on artichokes.
HOW: Artichoke hearts are diced and sauteed, then tossed with a quick, flavorful pesto.
WHY WE LOVE IT: This dish can be used in an infinite number of ways: as a side dish, on top a crostini, tossed into a salad, on a cheese plate. The lemon and parsley make a bright, fresh pesto that gives the artichokes a little kick. Add the salt to taste -- we used about half as much as recommended by solmstea. —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup parsley (I like curly leaf, but flat leaf would probably be fine)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 a preserved lemon, just the peel
  • 4 medium artichokes (get ones with fat, long stems)
Directions
  1. Have some acidulated water ready (water with some lemon or vinegar in it) or a fresh lemon. Trim the artichoke of its leaves, the choke, and the tough woody exterior of the stem. Rub the cut areas once in a while with the lemon or dip in the acidulated water.
  2. When the artichoke is trimmed, cut it into small chunks (~1/8 inch dice) and leave in the acidulated water (or mix with lemon juice) while you make the pesto.
  3. Chop together the parsley, garlic, preserved lemon (or lemon zest), and salt. Chopping the salt with the other ingredients makes the chopping less sticky. I like it slightly chunkier than you can get with a food processor, but if you don't have a big, curved chef's knife, then a processor would work fine.
  4. Drain the artichoke pieces and rinse them off if they've got lemon pips stuck to them. In a medium skillet, heat about a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Saute the artichoke bits until they are softened and beginning to brown.
  5. Add the pesto, mix thoroughly, and saute for another minute or two until fragrant. The garlic will still be fairly raw and spicy. Can be good with a little crumbled feta or chunks of goat cheese.
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See what other Food52ers are saying.

I like to cook simply, especially cooking with things I can find (or at the very least, find at the farmers market which, in SoCal, contains every kind of produce on earth!). I like ingredients like lambsquarters, which grow in every alley and once-tilled ditch but are overlooked as weeds. Or I like scuba diving for lobster - lobster you catch with your bare hands just tastes Great! Generally, I don't like overly fussy recipes and tend to just improvise with whatever I have on hand and few meals come out of my kitchen without green garlic, cayenne, orange zest, or either fresh mint or dill.

13 Reviews

Isabel March 18, 2018
This was terrific! My husband wants to try with other veggies.
Chloroph March 18, 2018
Thank you, Solmstea! I will try this with frozen artichoke hearts!!
solmstea February 28, 2018
I have never tried it with canned, mostly because they are pickled, which would change the flavor. However I have used frozen artichoke hearts (found in a Turkish grocery store). That worked fine, but need to press the hearts a bit to dry them out a bit. I'd suggest doing the same if using canned hearts, so that you can get some nice browned edges. The other main difference might be that I usually don't make this with any leaves, so I don't know if you're talking about the canned kind that has the little tender interior leaves or the straight hearts. Probably still fine, but would probably change the texture.
Chloroph February 27, 2018
I can't get good fresh artichokes now. Would this work with canned?
solmstea February 28, 2018
Oops, meant to write my comment in reply, but it posted separately... See above!
dymnyno July 11, 2012
Tasty! Congratulations!
aargersi July 11, 2012
This sounds awesome! Congrats! (it just got the wild card win today!!)
drbabs July 11, 2012
Yum. Congrats!
solmstea July 11, 2012
Thanks guys, but when did this happen?!
Panfusine July 11, 2012
this definitely fits into the genius category!!. wonderfully deserved win!
AntoniaJames May 5, 2010
Sounds very tasty and, as you say, very useful, too. Just love recipes like this!! Defintely plan to try it. ;o)
Kitchen B. May 5, 2010
Thanks for the heads up on preserved kumquats!!!!!!!!! I love them and this week will see this recipe tried! On to this pesto - love it. Would like to try it with half basil, half parsley
solmstea May 5, 2010
I sometimes add some mint or tarragon too.