I am obsessed on having Fire Roasted Artichokes with Spicy Vinaigrette & Garlic Dip every time I am at Cheesecake Factory. I feel like I mostly go there to get me some artichokes. It is offered as an appetizer, but there has been times that I have just ordered a whole plate just for me. I think my obsession is the dip in addition to their roast-y artichokes.
Over the weekend, we took my husband’s cousins from Toronto, Canada to the Cheesecake Factory in Marina Del Ray. After three hours of wait time, we finally got a table for 20. They love the Cheesecake Restaurant chains and this was one of their to-do lists visiting California. They are hoping and praying that the Cheesecake management will consider expanding to the Toronto area. I am pretty sure that they alone will keep the restaurant in business.
Cheescake Factory, if you’re listening… Please grant them their wish. You won’t have any regrets. Promise!
We ordered lot of food… Besides the 3 hour wait time, it’s the perfect place for a big party. It covers everyone’s diet and food appetite. (Cheescake’s menu is so big that it is as thick as as a book.) And of course, we did not forget the artichoke order. However, four appetizer plates of artichokes were not enough for someone who loves to have artichokes as much as me.
So the following day, I felt the need to make my version of the famous fire-roasted artichokes to satisfy my own cravings. My plan was to allow myself to have as much artichokes as I possibly can.
I first cleaned the artichokes and steamed them. Then I used my stove top griddle to grill them under medium high heat. Instead of having 2 different dips, I decided to combine the flavors into one. And my cooking conclusion was great tasting artichokes with the best dip. Even if it was not truly the recipe of Cheesecake Factory, it was a great attempt and felt very satisfied with the results.
Recipe
Ingredients:
Artichokes:
- 6 artichokes
- 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- salt/pepper
- 2 roasted garlic cloves
Basil and Garlic Dip:
- 1 bunch purple basil leaves
- 1/4 cup parsley
- 3 roasted garlic cloves
- 1 cup mayo
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper
Directions:
Artichokes:
Clean and prepare the artichokes following this video. However, skip the part on boiling the artichokes and instead steam the artichokes following the steps in this video.
Mix juice of one lemon, olive oil and roasted garlic and spread it over the steamed artichokes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Lay artichokes on a griddle under medium high heat and grill for 4 minutes on each side, or until the grill marks are visible.
Basil and Garlic Dip:
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until the contents are finely processed. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
