Artichokes Braised With Garlic And Lemon

Prepare a large bowl of acidulated water by combining 2 quarts of cold water with 6 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar. Set aside near your work surface.

Trim artichokes, working with 1 artichoke at a time. With your hands, snap off all the tough outer leaves until you get to the pale leaves at the center. Using a sharp knife, cut off the leaf tips, leaving only the base and the bottoms of the yellowish-green leaves. Cut off 1/4 inch of the stem end, then peel the stem and bottom of each artichoke. Proceed until you have trimmed all the artichokes in this manner, dropping each artichoke into the acidulated water as you finish.

Remove artichoke 'hearts' from water one at a time and quarter them from stem to top. Use a paring knife or melon baller to scrape out the fuzzy 'choke' portion. Finally, slice each piece lengthwise into thirds or fourths, depending on their size. You want wedges about 1/4 inch thick. As you go, drop the artichoke pieces back into the acidulated water.

Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Add 1/2 cup water, lemon juice, garlic, chili flakes, salt and pepper.

Remove artichoke pieces from acidulated water and drain briefly on a kitchen towel. Add to pan, toss to coat, cover, and cook 15 to 20 minutes, until barely fork-tender, stirring halfway through. Check frequently toward the end of the cooking time as the liquid will almost be cooked away. If the liquid evaporates before the artichokes are done, add more water and continue to cook.

Remove from heat, add parsley, toss, and transfer to a serving dish. Serve hot or at room temperature.