artichokes don’t get nearly enough love, tasty as they are. the fresh ones require a lot of time and effort, and those fuzzy chokes can be painful if you handle them the wrong way. 

these fritters are made with canned artichokes and are quick, easy, and very tasty. the balance of flavors and textures makes this one of my favorite appetizers. sola in chicago serves a different variation of them with a white truffle honey sauce; i go with a simple dip of mayo and a little squeeze of lemon.

ingredients:

14 oz can artichoke hearts or quarters
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 egg + 1/2 tsp water
1 cup cornmeal (fine-ground works best)
1 tbsp dried oregano
olive oil
1/4 cup mayo
lemon to taste

1. drain artichokes in strainer and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. meanwhile, set up your breading arrangement: combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. beat egg with water in a small bowl. combine cornmeal and oregano in another shallow dish. set aside.
3. dredge each artichoke in the flour mixture (note: if using whole artichoke hearts, split them in half lengthwise first). shake off the excess flour, dip each piece in the egg wash, then coat evenly with the cornmeal mixture. let sit for five minutes to allow the coating to set.
4. while the coating is setting on the artichokes, fill a large skillet with about 1/2 inch of olive oil. heat over medium heat until oil is hot but not smoking.
5. fry the artichokes until golden brown, about 1 minute each side. work in batches, so as not to overcrowd the pan (overcrowding will cause the artichokes to steam, not fry, creating a soggy breading). drain excess oil on paper towels, if necessary.
6. for the dipping sauce, squeeze lemon into mayo to taste and stir well. if you’re feeling ambitious, homemade mayo tastes excellent with this.