Rice with Artichokes

This Italian rice and artichoke dish is rustic cooking at its simplest. Fresh artichokes get trimmed, sliced paper thin, and sauteed in olive oil over high heat until they start to caramelize and turn golden at the edges. That browning is where all the flavor lives.

Short-grain rice is the right choice here. It absorbs the artichoke-infused oil and clings together slightly, giving the dish a creamy, almost risotto-like quality without any of the constant stirring. Cook the rice separately, then toss it into the skillet with the artichokes so it soaks up every drop of that flavored oil.

The ingredient list is just six items: artichokes, olive oil, salt, pepper, water, and rice. When a recipe is this stripped down, the quality of each ingredient matters. Use fresh artichokes, good olive oil, and freshly ground black pepper.

Pro Tips

• Slice the artichokes as thin as possible so they cook through and crisp up at the edges. Thick slices stay tough and chewy.
• Remove the choke completely from each artichoke before slicing. Even small pieces of choke are fibrous and unpleasant to eat.
• Start on high heat for the first 5 minutes to get color on the artichokes, then drop to medium for the remaining 10 to finish cooking them through.
• Toss the rice with the artichokes while both are hot so the flavors meld together.

Variations

• Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the finished dish for a bright, acidic lift.
• Add a handful of chopped fresh parsley or mint right before serving for color and freshness.
• Stir in grated Pecorino Romano for a salty, sharp finish that pairs naturally with artichokes.