We wanted to feature artichokes in a salad, but we wanted the dish to be easy. So we went straight to the heart of the matter. Raw or braised artichokes required too much prep for a quick meal, but jarred artichokes have been processed already. For textural interest, we tossed the artichoke hearts in cornstarch and fried them till crispy, but juicy. Then we pleased the fried artichokes on a bed of peas and spicy-sweet mizuna leaves Tossed in a lemony dressing, the mizuna complemented the richness of the artichokes and a hint of za'atar added more tartness and some needed crunch. We prefer the flavor and texture of jarred whole baby artichoke hearts here, but you can substitute 18 ounces of frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and patted dry, for the jarred.
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Recipe: Crispy artichoke salad with lemon vinaigrette
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 3 cups jarred whole baby artichoke hearts, packed in water, halved, rinsed and patted dry
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup plus 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¾ teaspoon minced shallot
- Pinch table salt
- 2 ounces (2 cups) mizuna or baby arugula
- ¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 teaspoon Za'atar
Directions
1. Toss artichokes with cornstarch in a bowl to coat. Heat 1 cup oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Shake excess cornstarch from artichokes and add artichokes to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy and golden, 5 to minutes. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate and let cool slightly.
2. Whisk lemon juice, mustard, shallot and salt together in bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in remaining 4 teaspoons oil until emulsified.
3. Toss mizuna, peas and, and 2 tablespoons vinaigrette together in large bowl and transfer to platter. Top with artichokes, drizzle with remaining vinaigrette, and sprinkle with za'atar. Serve.
If you like this recipe as much as we do, check out "The Complete Salad Cookbook" by America's Test Kitchen.
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