Warm Pumpkin and Artichoke Bowl
The artichoke is reimagined: sautéed in garlic, paired with tender roasted pumpkin slices, salty capers and crunchy almonds. Make this recipe in bulk and enjoy at work or at university.
In the states artichokes are accompanied by a white, bland mound of mayonnaise. Yet in other cultures, artichokes transcend this dull pairing and are instead cooked with a variety of vegetables. To reimagine this American classic, I went ahead and mixed it with a few unexpected flavors: sautéed with roasted pumpkin and dotted with capers and chopped almonds. Instead of steamed artichokes, which often leaves the leaves bland and unappealing, sauté them in a delightful aroma of fresh garlic and salty capers. Where this dish really illustrates a delicious melding of flavors is in the simplicity of roasted pumpkin. Together the pumpkin and artichoke hearts forge a sweet-earthiness that is unexpectidly balanced by tiny bites of salted capers and crunchy almonds.
As fresh artichokes can be quite expensive, I like to cook up a blend of fresh and frozen artichokes. I’ll use a bag of frozen artichoke hearts and about 4 fresh ones. This combination is just as delicious as using only fresh. I also love making this meal in bulk, since 1 pumpkin yields more than enough for multiple servings. Try making this recipe your own – have the extra pumpkin on top of a salad, bed of quinoa or simply on its own. This recipe is one that will change your view of the artichoke, removing the limits of how delicious this humble vegetable can be.
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients for the Pumpkin and Artichoke Salad:
- 1 small pumpkin (I used kabocha)
- 4 fresh artichoke hearts and 1 bag of frozen artichoke hearts
- 3 garlic cloves
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 handful of almonds
- sprinkle of sea salt
Instructions:
Start by preheating the oven to 420F. Now prepare the pumpkin by cutting the top off the pumpkin and cut it in half. Scoop out the insides and cut the pumpkin into long bite size pieces. Then cut the skin off as well. Place the pumpkin slices into a bowl and mix with olive oil and sea salt. Evenly pour onto a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes until tender (turn the pumpkin over after 10 minutes). As this cooks prepare the artichoke hearts. Start by roughly chopping the garlic and adding it to a medium saucepan with the 4 tablespoons of olive oil, water and sprinkle of sea salt. Cook on medium-high heat. Now add the hearts.
You can either use frozen artichokes or fresh - I did a mix of both and it came out deliciously!
Two Ways
Fresh artichokes: remove the stem and the outer leaves until the softer, pale/yellow leaves appear. Leave these. Cut the artichokes into 4 segments and with a spoon, scrape out the fuzzy portion that hides the hearts. Add these to the saucepan with the garlic and let it cook for 10 minutes until the hearts are tender.
Frozen artichokes: simply place them in the saucepan with the garlic and warm for 10 minutes until tender. Season with sea salt. Finally in a bowl, mix the roasted pumpkin, artichoke hearts, capers and chopped almonds. Serve warm or cold and enjoy!
I hope you enjoy this recipe and find yourself questioning what other vegetables can be modernized and make delicious. Share below if you have any meals or ideas of food pairings that have been unexpectedly delicious!
xx Marie