I have made fried artichokes many ways before, but I found this recipe at Liuzza’s in New Orleans different and quite tasty. The interesting part is that the recipe is made with jarred or canned artichokes. The batter is light and fries up crispy, while the artichokes remain tender and tasty. This is an ideal recipe to serve when unexpected guests arrive and all you have is a can of artichoke hearts in the cupboard and a beer in the fridge.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　Vegetable oil, for frying

　　1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

　　1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

　　12-ounce can lager-style beer (any light beer will do)

　　Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

　　Three 6-ounce jars artichoke hearts, drained well, patted dry, then quartered

　　Rémoulade, for serving (see page 204)

　　

Step 1

Heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium heat.

　　

Step 2

Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Slowly pour in the beer, whisking to make a smooth batter. Whisk in the lemon zest.

　　

Step 3

Dredge the artichokes in the batter, and let the excess drip back into the bowl. When the oil is ready, fry the artichokes, in batches, until batter is crisp and golden, about 5 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels, and season with salt. Serve hot, with rémoulade for dipping.

　　Reprinted with permission from Lidia's Italy in America by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2011 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.