Grilled Artichokes with Balsamic Vinaigrette

So many vegetables are good for grilling, and one of my favorites is artichokes. High in fiber, potassium, calcium and iron, these babies are known to help boost the liver function. Good news for those of us having lots of wine at our BBQs. This is my rip off of Bandera's artichoke appetizer, the first place I ever had a grilled artichoke. You can make the sauce and steam the artichokes several hours ahead, marinate them in a zip bag, then just grill them last minute. Easy to take to a friend's house that way.

Dressing

1/4 cup EVOO

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsps dijon mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon italian herb seasoning

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

4 large artichokes

Put a steamer basket in a huge pot with a couple inches of water. Trim sharp ends of artichokes and place in basket, cover and steam for ~35-45min, or until just barely done (test by trying a leaf). Remove from pot and let cool. Meanwhile, combine dressing ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously. When artichokes have cooled, slice in half (or quarters if extra large) and remove artichoke hairs. Brush on lots of sauce and transfer to hot grill. Cook just a couple minutes on each side. Serve immediately with some extra sauce and/or Vegenaise.

Serves 8 (1/2 artichoke each)