Fried Artichokes with Romesco Sauce
Crispy fried artichoke hearts with smoky romesco sauce. A golden, dippable appetizer with grown up mozzarella stick energy.
Equipment
Ingredients
Artichoke Hearts:
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 can artichoke hearts drained (14 ounces)
- 2 cups avocado oil
Romesco Sauce:
- 12 ounce jar of roasted peppers drained
- 14 ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes drained
- ¾ cup almonds toasted
- ¼ cup hazelnuts toasted
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced (about 3 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon aleppo pepper
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together 1 cup almond flour, ½ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, 1 teaspoon sea salt and half a teaspoon of Italian seasoning.
- In a separate bowl, make an egg wash by whisking 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of water until well combined.
- Preheat avocado oil to 350˚F in a heavy bottomed sauce pot with high sides, use enough to fill a pot ⅓ of the way up the side, about 2 cups.
- Left to right, line up the artichokes, egg wash, almond flour mix and a baking tray.
- Take the can of drained artichokes, and dip them one by one into the egg wash, making sure to let the excess drip off. Next coat them thoroughly with the almond flour mixture and then set them on the baking tray. Once done, let them sit for 15 minutes before frying to help the breading stick. Prepare the Romesco Sauce while you wait.
- Combine the jar of drained roasted red peppers, can of drained fire roasted tomatoes, 3/4 cup toasted almonds, ¼ cup toasted hazelnuts, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon aleppo pepper, 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar and 1 teaspoon sea salt in a blender until completely smooth, at least 30 seconds.
- Check for seasoning and adjust if needed. You might have some sauce leftover. Check notes for uses.
- To fry, gently lower the artichokes into the oil and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Work in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Place the fried artichokes on a plate lined with paper towels and serve immediately with romesco sauce.