Zeytinyağlı Enginar
Zeytinyağlı Enginar·(zay-teen-yah-luh en-gee-nar)
Zeytinyağlılar (The Cold Olive Oil Table & Fridge Mains)
The frozen artichoke bottoms sit in a heavy glug of olive oil. The heat drops. The kitchen quiets. In its traditional form, the braise signals spring on the Aegean coast, where vendors stand behind mountains of globe artichokes, rapidly carving them down to the tender, bowl-shaped hearts. Peeling six whole artichokes on a Tuesday night in America, however, is a non-starter. To skip the prep without losing the dense texture, simply start from the freezer aisle. The magic happens in the pot with a terbiye—an emulsifying hit of flour, lemon, and sugar—that binds the liquid and oil into a luscious glaze. Like all great zeytinyağlılar, let it cool entirely in its own juices, slide it onto the bottom shelf of the fridge, and eat it tomorrow.
Ingredients
- extra-virgin olive oil6 tbsp
- yellow onion1 med
- carrot1 med
- waxy potato1 med
- frozen peas1 cup
- frozen artichoke bottoms14 oz
- hot water1 1/2 cup
- lemon1 large
- granulated sugar1 1/2 tsp
- fine sea salt1 tsp
- all-purpose flour2 tsp
- fresh dill1/2 bunch
Method
- 01
Sweat the aromatics in plenty of olive oil.
Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a wide, shallow pot (avoid cast iron if possible) over medium heat, add the onion, and sauté for about five minutes until translucent; toss in the carrots and potatoes and cook for three minutes more.
- 02
Arrange the artichoke bottoms and stuff them with the vegetable medley.
Take the pot off the heat, lay the frozen artichoke bottoms flat in the pan, and spoon the partially cooked vegetables directly into the artichoke cups, letting the excess spill over the sides before scattering the peas on top.
- 03
Whisk together the terbiye to build the glaze.
In a bowl, vigorously whisk the hot water, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and flour until completely smooth and free of lumps.
- 04
Braise low and slow.
Pour the flour-lemon emulsion over the stuffed artichokes, bring to a gentle bubble, then immediately drop the heat to the lowest possible simmer, cover tightly, and cook for 30 to 35 minutes until a fork slides into an artichoke with zero resistance.
- 05
Let it rest in the pot until entirely cool.
Turn off the heat but do not lift the lid; allow the artichokes to sit for at least an hour or two so they reabsorb the emulsified juices as they drop to room temperature.
- 06
Garnish and serve.
Transfer the artichokes to a platter, hit them with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil for a glossy finish, and shower generously with fresh dill before serving cold or at room temperature.
Notes
The Portakallı Upgrade.
If you want to elevate this to the famous Aegean variation, swap out half a cup of the hot water for fresh-squeezed orange juice when mixing the terbiye.
The Science of the Terbiye.
Skipping the flour turns this dish into a watery vegetable soup. That small amount of starch emulsifies the oil and lemon water into a glossy sauce that clings perfectly to the vegetables.
From Cook Turkish in America.