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Aegean-Style Braised Artichoke with Purslane Salad

Turkish local cuisines have many surprises for every traveler who roams upon culturally rich Anatolia. Even though many foreigners think that the Middle East influenced Kebab is the sole thing that we devour all the time, the truth is far from that. In every corner of the country, there is a different recipe inherited from ancient civilizations, created by the diversity of produce. Every geographical area has a distinct style of cooking.

Braising vegetables in Olive Oil is a really old Aegean technique that creates incredibly light, fresh, and tasty dishes. Typically the main vegetable is cooked with sweated onions, a little bit of sugar or cinnamon, and a good amount of quality olive oil. Slow cooked vegetables would keep their shapes while intensifying the aromas. It is served after a rest, usually cold, with a freshening touch of lemon juice.

This plate reflects all the beautiful aspects of Aegean-style cooking. Artichoke is a loved veggie in the region and mixing it with a fresh salad of purslane creates a great balance!

  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 2 people 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the Artichokes:

  • 4 Artichoke Hearts
  • 2 Onions (fine julienne)
  • 1 Lemon & Orange (zest and juice)
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Allspice
  • 1 tbsp Dill (finely chopped)
  • 4 tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt (to taste) 

For the Salad:

  • 1 Bunch of Purslane (stalks removed)
  • 1 Orange (cut into segments and cubed) 
  • 50 g Feta Cheese (cubed)
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 30 g Almonds (peeled)
  • 1 tsp Red Chili (fine julienne)
  • 1 tsp Nigella seeds
  • 50 ml Olive oil
  • Salt (to taste)

Instructions

Making the Artichokes 

  1. We will start by sweating the onions in olive oil. Do not caramelize them and don’t burn the oil with high heat. Add the spices, zest, and juice. Mix well and then add the whole artichoke hearts.
  2.  Continue cooking them low and slow, but ensure that there is some liquid in the pan for some steam.  You may add water to the half-height of the artichoke according to the pot that you are using.
  3.  Cook on low heat with the lid on for about half an hour. Check the hearts with a knife. They should be cut easily like soft butter. 
  4.  Remove from the heat and let the hearts cool in the pan.

Making the Salad 

  1. In a bowl, add the delicate purslane leaves, peeled almonds, orange, feta cheese, red chilli, and nigella seeds.
  2.  Add the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and mix well until everything is combined.

 

To serve, place the artichoke heart on a plate along with the contents of the pan. Pleace the salad on top of the artichoke and serve fresh!

  • Author: Emrecan Ilarslan
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 40
  • Method: Braising
  • Cuisine: Aegean
  • Main Menu