Artichoke Bruschetta

1. Add the prepped artichokes in a pan containing just enough water to cover them. Squeeze lemon in the pan and add unpeeled garlic cloves and cook on medium flame until the artichokes are tender.
2. Drain the artichokes and place them back in the now-empty pan. Add olive oil and sauté the artichokes for 4 minutes or until they change color.
3. Turn off the flame and squeeze lemon juice on the artichokes. Also chop mint leaves and add it with artichokes in the pan. Season it with salt and black pepper to taste. Stir together.
4. Remove 4 artichokes from the pan and mash the remaining ones using a fork. Also remove the skin of the garlic and throw it away. Set aside.
5. For the bruschetta, cut the loaf in half and slice it crossways.
6.  Grill these slices on a grill pan or a regular pan until they are crispy and brown on both sides.
7. Using a cut clove, rub it on both sides of the crispy slices a couple of times.
8. Drizzle slices with a generous amount of olive oil on top of them and a pinch of salt.
9. Now spread the mashed artichokes on top of these bruschette and garnish it with the reserved artichokes sliced in half.

Trivia:

• According to legend, the artichoke was actually created by the Greek god Zeus as an object of his affection after he was rejected.
• According to the US Department of Agriculture, Artichokes are ranked number one among venerates with highest antioxidant count.
• Marilyn Monroe was crowned as the first Queen of Artichokes in 1947.
• Artichoke is not a vegetable or a fruit, it’s a flower.

Roman Naturalists Pliny termed artichoke as one of the earth’s monstrosities in 77 AD., but no one listened to them and continued to consume them.