Enjoy these Braised Baby Artichokes and Mushrooms with Garlic and Lemon as an appetizer with bread or served as a side dish with a roast, steak or fish.

Feeding kids has certainly been a adventure. Before kids, I had this vision that if I introduced a food or vegetable to my child at an early age, they would eat it and love it. But the ugly truth is, babies have taste buds and preferences just as we adults do.

If they don’t like it, they won’t eat it. At all. No matter how many times you stick it in front of their little faces. The other ugly truth about feeding kids is that their taste buds are constantly evolving and changing as they get older.

So, as a parent, you are offered  numerous chances to help sway the case for that broccoli, mushroom or asparagus. You will get reject numerous times, but you hold out for that off chance they change their mind.

I have watched each child grow up and their palate’s evolve from hating all vegetables to eating mushrooms, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and even artichokes. So if you are fighting the food wars with young kids, let me tell you that there is hope for your kids!

What are baby artichokes

Some vegetables were adored by my children wholeheartedly from day one. My Princess and Middle Child have always loved  artichokes. Their little fingers carefully remove the peels. They eat them plain, with lemon juice or with a dipping sauce. They giggle as they scrape up the artichoke meat with their little teeth.

Baby artichokes are simply a smaller yet fully mature version of the large artichoke. One big difference? Baby artichokes don’t have the fuzzy choke inside like the big artichokes have. You can find them in more high end grocery stores and farmer’s markets.

How to prepare baby artichokes

Because of their size and lack of hairy choke, baby artichokes can be prepared any number of different ways like braising, steaming, roasting or grilling. They also cook quickly because they are small in size. 

For this recipe I am sharing, the baby artichokes are halved and braised in lemon juice and white wine. Braising means they are cooked low and slow, similar to stewing. 

Final thoughts on braised baby artichokes

Don’t let the simplicity of this dish scare you. There is plenty of flavor here from the wine, lemon juice, and garlic. Pair it with a crunchy baguette and you have heaven in a bowl. We loved mopping up the juice with chunks of bread chunks while we happily inhaled the artichokes and mushrooms. Deliciousness.

These gorgeous baby artichokes were sent to me by Frieda’s Produce. And they were tender and amazing when braised with mushrooms, garlic and lemon. I was so bummed that I had to share it with the kiddos. Be careful what you wish for, eh?

What vegetable did your kids fall in love with that totally amazed you?

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Yield: serves 4

Braised Baby Artichokes and Mushrooms with Garlic and Lemon

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Enjoy these Braised Baby Artichokes and Mushrooms with Garlic and Lemon as an appetizer with bread or served as a side dish with a roast, steak or fish.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 lb baby artichokes (approximately 7)
• 3 cup water
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb mushrooms, halved
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
• 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 TBS lemon zest
• 2 TBS chopped Italian parsley

Instructions

1. Remove several layers of the tough outer leaves from baby artichokes.
2. Trim the sharp pointy tops and stems. Cut in half lengthwise and soak in a bowl with water and lemon juice. The lemon water keeps the artichokes from discoloration.
3. Drain artichokes and heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add olive oil to skillet over medium high heat.
5. When oil is hot, stir in the artichokes along with halved mushrooms.
6. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, until vegetables start to soften then season with salt and pepper.
7. Stir in garlic, lemon juice and white wine.
8. Cover skillet and reduce heat to medium-low and cook until artichokes are fork tender, about 15 more minutes.
9. Transfer vegetables to a serving bowl and garnish with lemon zest and parsley.

Notes

Serve with your favorite roast, steak or fish. Or serve with fresh baked bread as an appetizer.

Serve with any fresh herbs like Italian parsley, basil, mint or thyme.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

approximately 1 1/2 artichokes
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 156 Total Fat: 4g Saturated Fat: 1g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 0mg Sodium: 233mg Carbohydrates: 23g Fiber: 9g Sugar: 5g Protein: 6g