Walnut-Crusted Artichoke Hearts
[Vegan]

Walnut-Crusted Artichoke Hearts

Considering my Italian heritage, I admit that I may be partial to Italian cuisine. After all, I was raised with the fragrance of fresh basil perfuming the air and the music of thick rich tomato sauce simmering on the stove. When my grandparents came to America from “the old country,”... Considering my Italian heritage, I admit that I may be partial to Italian cuisine. After all, I was raised with the fragrance of fresh basil perfuming the air and the music of thick rich tomato sauce simmering on the stove. When my grandparents came to America from “the old country,” they brought with them an appreciation of fresh ingredients and food prepared from scratch. Bread and pasta were always homemade. Vegetables were grown in the backyard garden. When I finally traveled to Italy myself, I witnessed firsthand how simply prepared fresh produce remains an important part of Italian cuisine. Maybe that’s another reason I love Italian cooking, since I never met a vegetable I didn’t like. Take artichokes, for example. I enjoy them any way I can get them: steamed, stuffed, in a salad, in risotto, tossed with pasta – you name it. When I’m fortunate enough to find fresh baby artichokes, they are the star of the meal, usually served steamed and unadorned beyond a squeeze of fresh lemon. When fresh artichokes are unavailable, I use frozen or canned in recipes, often pairing them with walnuts. However, only recently I’ve come up with a delicious way to combine these two complementary favorites into one amazing appetizer. First, I make a thick batter with finely ground walnuts. Quartered artichoke hearts are then coated with the batter and pan-fried. Succulent and tender inside, with a crusty nutty outside and punctuated by bits of lemon zest, the result is heaven on a plate. This recipe works well with cooked frozen artichoke hearts or canned or marinated artichoke hearts. They are best served hot as an appetizer accompanied by lemon wedges. Read More