Ever tried confit-ing something? I usually confit garlic and it brings out their sweetness and flavor so beautifully. This time I applied the confit magic to artichoke hearts. I used great extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon peel, basil, fresh chili, and I confit-ed the artichoke low and slow in the oven. They turned out very soft, flavorful, and absolutely divine! Definitely the best way to cook artichoke hearts. I served them over a green Spring salad and used the confit-ed garlic and oil for the dressing. Get the recipe right here!
Preheat the oven to 120°C. Cut each artichoke heart into 6 pieces then place them in a medium baking dish. Add the garlic, lemon peels, basil, chili if using, and the extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir to make sure that the artichoke are coated with the oil. It's okay if the artichoke are not completely submerged in the oil. Place in the oven and let them confit. Stir a couple of times if the exposed artichoke bits get a little brown. The oil should be gently simmering so keep an eye on it. If the simmer is aggressive, it means the oil is getting too hot so open the oven door slightly then close it once the simmer is gentle again. Confit for 90 Minutes, or until the hearts are soft. It might take a little longer. Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool.
Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted water for 20 Minutes, or until soft . Cut them into bite-sized pieces and set them aside to cool. Blanch the asparagus in salted boiling water for 1 1/2 minutes then immediately transfer to ice water. Leave them for 2 minutes and drain well.
To prepare the dressing, place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste to adjust the seasoning and acidity.
Now you can build the salad! Place the arugula in a mixing bowl and dress them with half the dressing. Transfer to your serving plate. Now beautifully arrange the feta cubes, artichoke confit, potato pieces, and asparagus on top of the arugula. Drizzle the rest of the dressing all over the salad, add the chili if using, and finish with a pinch of black pepper. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 120°C. Cut each artichoke heart into 6 pieces then place them in a medium baking dish. Add the garlic, lemon peels, basil, chili if using, and the extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir to make sure that the artichoke are coated with the oil. It's okay if the artichoke are not completely submerged in the oil. Place in the oven and let them confit. Stir a couple of times if the exposed artichoke bits get a little brown. The oil should be gently simmering so keep an eye on it. If the simmer is aggressive, it means the oil is getting too hot so open the oven door slightly then close it once the simmer is gentle again. Confit for 90 Minutes, or until the hearts are soft. It might take a little longer. Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool.
Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted water for 20 Minutes, or until soft . Cut them into bite-sized pieces and set them aside to cool. Blanch the asparagus in salted boiling water for 1 1/2 minutes then immediately transfer to ice water. Leave them for 2 minutes and drain well.
To prepare the dressing, place all the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste to adjust the seasoning and acidity.
Now you can build the salad! Place the arugula in a mixing bowl and dress them with half the dressing. Transfer to your serving plate. Now beautifully arrange the feta cubes, artichoke confit, potato pieces, and asparagus on top of the arugula. Drizzle the rest of the dressing all over the salad, add the chili if using, and finish with a pinch of black pepper. Serve immediately and enjoy!