Grilled Artichokes with Porcini

Grilled vegetables are edging out other ingredients for space on your grill's dance floor, and having some warm olive oil or butter on hand that's been pre-flavored with our Wine Forest Porcini Salt makes glazing these goodies as easy as stroking a brush.

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter, to be warmed
• 1 teaspoon Wine Forest Porcini Salt
• 4 whole artichokes
• 1 quart water
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half
• ¼ teaspoon chili flakes
• 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 lemon cut in half
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 fresh porcini, cut into ¼ inch slices
• additional porcini salt to taste

1. Heat the olive oil or butter in a small saucepan. Add the Porcini Salt and stir for a minute. There will be undissolved salt at the bottom of the sauce pan. Let the warmed oil or butter stay warm at a simmer while you prepare your artichokes and porcini.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the water with the lemon, thyme, olive oil, salt, garlic, and chili flakes. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat and let simmer ten minutes while preparing the artichokes.
3. Trim 75% of the outer leaves off the artichokes, peel the stems and base, cut cross-wise about half an inch above the base of the leaves, cut in half length-wise, remove the floral center, cut each half into four sections and add the sections of trimmed artichoke hearts to to the tasty bath.
4. Heat the water again to cook the artichoke hearts. Keep an eye on the hearts and cook until the flesh turns to a jade like color with some translucency. As they near being cooked, remove from the heat and allow to cook further and absorb the bath flavors slowly, about 30 minutes.
5. Drain the warm artichokes and remove the thyme springs, garlic, and lemon halves.
6. Pour off the warm olive oil or butter into a container wide enough to hold a brush.
7. Grill the slices of porcini and wedges of artichoke hearts until tender and golden, brushing on the flavored oil or butter, letting the salt sit at the bottom of the container to avoid over-salting.
8. Sprinkle with Porcini Salt to taste.