YEAH, BABY | Tiny, young artichokes are sweet, tender and easy to prepare. James Ransom for The Wall Street Journal, Food Styling by Jamie Kimm, Prop Styling by Stephanie Hanes

'MY LOVE FOR artichokes comes from when I was very young," said José Andrés. "My mother and father would slice the hearts and fry them, and they would be crispy around the leaves and tender at the base."

The Chef: José Andrés

José Andrés Jason Varney



In his second Slow Food Fast contribution, Mr. Andrés builds on his parents' technique, pairing deep-fried baby artichokes with flaky fillets of hake; an inky black-olive, caper and anchovy sauce and a honey-sweetened lemon dressing provide brine and brightness. Mr. Andrés is especially fond of the way the sizzling-hot oil causes the artichokes to blossom, their leaves puffing out and crisping while their vegetal sweetness deepens. "You get a caramelization of the sugars that you just don't get when boiling," he explained.

Now, with the spring artichoke season just kicking into gear, is a terrific time for baby artichokes, which grow lower on the stalk than their full-size siblings and do not develop the same thick wall of tough outer leaves. Without that layer to hack away, they are relatively easy to prepare, not to mention tender, sweet and frankly adorable. Simply fried and lightly salted, they are near impossible to improve upon. And yet, with this satisfying balance of salt, acidity, crunch and lusciousness, Mr. Andrés has somehow managed it.

—Kitty Greenwald

Fried Baby Artichokes With Hake

Total Time: 35 minutes Serves: 4


1/3 cup pitted black olives

2 teaspoons capers, drained

2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar

1 oil-packed anchovy fillet

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon honey

Salt, to taste

4 cups canola oil

6 baby artichokes

4 fillets hake (4 ounces each)

4 lemon wedges

What To Do

1. Blend olives, capers, vinegar and anchovy in a food processor. With processor running, drizzle in ½ cup olive oil. In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup olive oil with lemon juice and honey. Season with salt.

2. In a deep saucepan set over medium-high heat, heat canola oil to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, cut away artichokes' outermost leaves until you reach the pale green heart. Cut off spiny top portion of leaves so only tender meat remains. Next, cut away woody portions of stem. Halve hearts lengthwise and use a paring knife to scrape off any purple leaves and fuzz.

3. Check oil temperature with a thermometer. Once it reaches 350 degrees, fry artichokes. Work in batches to avoid crowding, keeping oil at 325-350 degrees. When artichokes are crisp and golden, after about 3 minutes, transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with salt.

4. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large sauté pan set over medium heat. Pat fish dry and season with salt. Lay fish into pan and fry until golden and cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side.

5. Distribute olive sauce among four plates and place artichokes on sauce. Place fish alongside artichokes and drizzle with lemon dressing. Serve with lemon wedges.