Braised Artichokes

With summer approaching, we’re starting to see those globes of goodness popping up at the market. Here’s a perfect way to prepare this seasonal gem.

Serves 2

What You Need:
For the artichokes:
1 whole artichoke
1 lemon, cut in half
2 bulbs of garlic, cut in half crosswise (cloves exposed, peels intact)
1/2 yellow onion, chopped into large pieces
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups water, plus more as needed

For the dipping sauce:
1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari or soy sauce

What You Do:

1. With kitchen shears, remove any sharp spines from outer leaves of artichoke. Cut 1-1/2 inches off of top of artichoke to expose inner leaves. Immediately rub cut area with a lemon half to prevent oxidation.
2. Remove stem from artichoke so that bottom is flat. With a paring knife, remove tough outer skin of stem until you reach edible part, which will be lighter in color.
3. In a pot, place artichoke stem-side-down. Add water until half of artichoke is submerged. Add trimmed stem to water. Squeeze in juice of both lemon halves, then add squeezed lemon halves. Add garlic, onion, thyme, peppercorns, and salt.
4. Cover pot and bring water to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Check occasionally to ensure liquid has not evaporated. If water level lowers, add more water.
5. With a pair of tongs, tug on one of bottom-most leaves. If it comes off easily, artichoke is done. Remove from water and discard liquid.
6. To make dipping sauce, whisk together all ingredients and serve with artichoke.