Sunny Artichoke Salad

Here’s a tasty salad that uses just four ingredients, plus a memorable dressing.

For the Salad:

4 fresh artichokes

1 (8.5-oz) jar sun-dried tomatoes, halves or julienne cut, drained, reserving olive oil

2 lemons, cut into wedges

½ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

For the Vinaigrette:

2 cloves garlic

½ cup vinegar (apple, balsamic, white, sherry)

1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 ½ cups olive oil (use oil from sun-dried tomatoes and add extra oil if needed)

¼ cup ﬁnely chopped shallots

Cut oﬀ or trim the end of the artichoke stem. Slice ¾ inch oﬀ the top of the artichoke. If you wish, snip the thorny tips oﬀ each of the leaves with kitchen scissors.
Wash the artichokes, taking care to shake out excess water so they will not be soggy when steamed.
Place the artichokes in a vegetable steamer, covered, over boiling water. Steam for 35 to 45 minutes, depending on size. The artichokes are ready when one of the outer leaves can easily be removed.
Let the artichokes cool to room temperature. Then cut into quarters and arrange on a platter with the drained sun-dried tomatoes.
Top with lemon wedges for garnish. Drizzle with Bella’s Sunny Artichoke Salad Vinaigrette. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Bella’s Sunny Artichoke Salad Vinaigrette

Mince the garlic in a food processor with the metal blade attached. Use about 1 tablespoon per person for a salad and store the rest in the refrigerator.
Add the vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Process to combine. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil until the dressing is emulsiﬁed. Taste, and add additional salt and pepper if necessary. Pour into a bowl and stir in the shallots.

Courtesy of Mooney Farms

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