Grilled Artichokes & Evenings by the Pool (Cozy Living)

Grilled artichokes and evenings by the pool are the perfect way to end a wonderful summer. Read on to create a cozy patio with fairy lights and also easy, last minute recipes that are a real crowd pleaser.

The artichoke. Since I was a little girl, I’ve loved this relative of the thistle. My mom’s dad was Sicilian so she’d always, and still, makes my stuffed artichokes. I’m hoping to learn her recipe this fall, and when I do, I’ll share it with you on the blog. While in Atlanta last year, for the Haven Blog Conference, I enjoyed these wonderful grilled artichokes and I’ve been dying to make them.

Guess what?!? We finally tried them and I thought they’d be perfect to share with you guys as part of the Cozy Living Series hosted by my friend Jennifer over at Town and Country Living. Sadly, I missed last month as we had some family illness and a lot going on with the pool construction and landscaping, click here to see the pool series.

I find the most comfort at home with my family. Quiet evenings with twinkling fairy lights and a quick dip in the pool.

Simple pleasures bring me the most comfort.

If you feel the same, then I hope you’ll try a few of these recipes. They are easy to throw together to make a delicious and fun evening with family and friends.

Grilled Artichokes

Stuffed artichokes can be very laborious and time consuming. While grilled artichokes are quick and easy.

Ingredients

• Artichokes
• Sharp knife
• Spoon
• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Herbs de Provence

Method

Throughly wash your artichokes and heat up your grill.

Take a sharp knife and slice the artichokes in half.

You will see tiny hairs in the center of the artichoke that are thorny and prickly. You don’t want to eat those. Be sure to remove all hairs by scooping out with a spoon and rinsing the artichoke again under cold water.

Mix together extra virgin olive oil, Herbs de Provence, Salt and Pepper. Pour the mixture over the open side of the artichoke and allow to marinate on the artichokes as the grill heats up.

We didn’t do this, but I recommend grilling the outside of the artichoke for about 5 minutes and then flipping the artichoke over and grilling the insides for 5-10 minutes. Grill the artichokes on a flat griddle.

I mixed up additional olive oil and fresh parsley but we didn’t need it.

The leaves are also delicious dipped in garlic mayo. To make this I kind of cheat and just use store bought mayonnaise and add crushed garlic and lemon juice. You can make your own garlic aioli by whisking together olive oil and adding garlic. My way is just slighting quicker 😉

Oh, the most tender part of the artichoke is the inner leaves and the heart. Be sure to eat the heart. It’s wonderful dipped in mayo but also delicious on it’s own.

Grilled Marinated Vegetables

In addition to the artichokes, I thought it would be nice and light to have some vegetables as a side dish. I sliced up zucchini, green peppers, and Japanese eggplant (it’s sweeter and cooks faster) and marinated in olive and salt and pepper. Luke grilled them on the flat griddle sheet on the grill, alongside the artichokes.

The artichokes complimented the roasted veg and vice versa.

We brought everything down to the pool area and enjoyed dinner at dusk by the pool with the kids.

Conor is always hamming it up for the camera. Ha! Ha! I wish I could tell you that my kids LOVE artichokes and roasted veg but they love pasta. For them I made tortellini from Trader Joe’s and pesto.

I also served it with hummus and marcona almonds.

Marcona almonds are Sicilian. They have a lovely meaty texture and think they are nice to put out for gatherings. My favorite marcona almonds are from Whole Foods.

If you’d like to learn more about these almonds, I highly recommend the Chef’s Table on Netflix, season 4 episode 2. This episode is about Chef Corrado Assenza and his restaurant Caffè Sicilia. He uses these almonds in his pastries and breakfasts and he helped revitalize the farm industry around them. A must watch for sure! I’m hoping one day we can bring our kids to his sweet shop for a visit.

For now, we’ll be enjoying family time out here.

Laughing, swimming, and eating together as a family.

Here’s a glimpse of the pool with the fairy lights on:

I hope you enjoy the grilled artichokes!

Be sure to visit all my friends and their Cozy Living Ideas below.

Town and Country Living / Sincerely Marie Designs / Vinyet, Etc.

Duke Manor Farm / Finding Silver Pennies