Braised Artichokes and Fennel with Lemon Cream

There is something especially playful about eating artichokes at the dinner table. Not only is the colour and flavours typical to the autumn season, the act of eating with your hands brings us closer to nature and each other. Our Braised Artichokes and Fennel with Lemon Cream is the perfect recipe to bring the family together over a show-stopping appetizer. 

The Heritage Oval Casserole creates the perfect environment for braising the artichokes until barely soft and tender, ensuring they absorb all the rich flavours from the fennel and lemon cream. When ready to be served, our oven to table casserole is the ideal canvas for this dish, allowing your culinary creation to take center stage.

Our Braised Artichokes and Fennel with Lemon Cream refines traditional artichoke recipes, introducing the perfect blend of herbs, spices, and flavours. This recipe can go from the oven to your table in just under two hours, serving up to four people at a time. Be sure to grab all the ingredients you’ll need on your next grocery run and follow the steps below before tackling this recipe!

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

In a 3.8 L Heritage Oval Casserole, combine the stock, water, wine, lemon zest and juice, garlic clove and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper.

Working with one artichoke at a time, cut off about ½ inch (1 cm) from the bottom of the stem. Remove a few layers of the tough outer leaves (see note) and peel the stem. Cut the pointy tip off the remaining leaves with a pair of scissors. Cut about ¼ inch (6 mm) off the top of the artichoke. Cut the artichoke lengthwise into quarters and remove the choke. Place the artichoke quarters in the braising liquid as you go to prevent from browning.

Cover the Casserole with the lid and bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Add the fennel, pushing the wedges into the braising liquid. Continue to bake, covered, for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Set aside ½ cup (125 ml) of the braising liquid. Let the vegetables sit, uncovered, while you prepare the sauce.

Lemon Cream Sauce

In a Saucier, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 3 minutes. Deglaze with the wine and let simmer for 2 minutes. Add the cream and simmer gently, stirring often, until the sauce has thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and ¼ cup (60 ml) of the braising liquid. Add the lemon juice and more braising liquid, to taste. Season with salt and pepper.

Discard the remaining braising liquid, including the garlic clove and bay leaf. Add the olives and half of the parsley and mint to the vegetables. Toss to combine.

Serve the vegetables with the lemon cream and top with the remaining parsley and mint, as well as the reserved fennel fronds.

Note

Prepared this way, once cooked, the outer artichoke leaves will need to be peeled off and the meat scraped with your teeth. Alternatively, you can remove all of the outer leaves at step 3 down to the tender artichoke heart. This way, you will be able to eat the entire artichoke once cooked.