Carciofi alla Giudia (Jewish-Style Artichokes) Recipe

Squeeze the juice from 1 of the lemon halves into a large, nonreactive bowl and fill the bowl halfway with water; set aside. Cut the remaining lemon half into 4 wedges; set aside.

Working with 1 artichoke at a time, trim the leafy top third with a serrated knife. Pull off the dark outer leaves one by one to reveal the tender yellow inner leaves. Trim the stem bottom.

Cut around the outside of the artichoke with a paring knife to remove the remaining tough leaf base. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the dark green skin from the stem, smoothing the edges where the leaves were attached.

Cut the artichoke in half lengthwise through the leaves and stem. Using a small spoon, gently scoop out the tough purple choke and the fuzz found between the leaves and stem; discard.

Cut each artichoke half in half again lengthwise and place in the reserved lemon water. Repeat with the remaining artichokes.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of generously salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice water bath by filling a large bowl halfway with ice and water; set aside. Remove the artichoke quarters from the lemon water, drop them into the boiling water, and cook until just tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and transfer to the prepared ice water bath until cool. Drain again and pat dry between towels (the drier the better).

Place the flour in a medium bowl; set aside. Line another medium bowl with a paper towel; set aside.

Wipe the pot used to boil the artichokes completely dry, pour in the oil, and set over high heat until the oil temperature reaches 350°F on a candy/fat thermometer. Toss half of the artichoke pieces in the bowl of flour, shake off any excess, and, using a slotted spoon, slowly lower them into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the artichokes to the paper-towel-lined bowl, sprinkle generously with salt, and toss to coat. Repeat with the remaining artichokes. Serve immediately with the reserved lemon wedges.

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