Quick Pickled Artichoke Hearts
A couple of weeks ago I happened to walk past a small grocery shop in my neighborhood and was surprised to spot a really great deal: 1kg of baby artichokes for about 3 Euros. They were old and battered violetto artichokes nearing the end of their shelf life. Not inviting! Some of the leaves felt dry and tough to the touch, slightly discoloured; others showed mouldy patches here and there; and the stems and bases were conspicuously blackened (not a good sign)...
Still, it's hard to beat such a hyper-seasonal delicacy at that price point—so I went for it. And I knew exactly what to do next: my father-in-law’s quick pickled artichoke hearts.
You see, you don’t need fresh, meaty leaves to make pickled artichokes—they all need to go anyway. What you actually need is a nice, firm heart. And artichoke hearts are the last part to go bad (yay). This is why pickling is a fantastic way to enjoy artichokes on the cheap: you take advantage of end-of-season bulk sales or lucky price reductions and make yourself a lovely little snack, and in the process you salvage perfectly fine produce from the dumpster, all in one go.
When buying old artichokes, first check the base and the stem—there may be black spots, but if you scratch the surface lightly and the flesh underneath appears firm and pale, the artichoke is still good. As I said, since you're going to discard the outer leaves anyway, there’s no need to worry too much about their condition.
A day or so after my serendipitous run-in at the greengrocer, I shared my FIL’s method on Instagram stories. A few followers reached out lamenting that artichokes are either unavailable or too expensive outside of Italy.
While there’s not much I can do about availability, I highly recommend trying out this pickling method to make artichokes feel more accessible—and less wasteful.
This is perfect for when you're craving something artichoke-y and easygoing. Something fun that doesn't need the kind of investment that a full-blown artichoke dish might call for. A quick treat to snack on as soon as it's ready, or indulge in before dinner, with a nice glass of dry white wine.
You'll need:
1kg of old artichokes, white wine vinegar, large pot, large bowl, slotted spoon, half a lemon, cloves, bay leaf, black peppercorns, sea salt, kitchen towels/paper, evo oil.
Method:
1. Clean and prep the artichokes thoroughly. Be ruthless: discard all the leaves until you reach the heart, then peel the stems and base to uncover the pale flesh.
– If the inner leaves are still tender and fresh, keep them (see photo above).– If not (old, tough and/or blackened), chop them off and use a paring knife to work around the heart (second photo below).
2. If using large artichokes, quarter the hearts, taking care to clean out any spiky inner leaves or choke. If using baby artichokes, either halve them or leave them whole, depending on their size.
3. As you work, drop the prepped artichokes into a bowl of cold lemony water to keep them from oxidising (browning).
4. Boil a solution of 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar with 2 cloves, 1 bay leaf, 3 black peppercorns, and 1 tsp sea salt. (opt for a 2:1 water/vinegar ratio for a more acidic version).
5. Blanch the artichokes for 3–4 minutes. They shouldn’t be cooked through—you’re looking for a crunchy texture.
6. Transfer the hearts onto a double layer of kitchen towel or paper to drain and cool (about 30 minutes).
7. Dress generously with extra virgin olive oil and enjoy as a snack or appetiser.
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