Day 8- Grilled Again

We grilled again today for the 4th of July. One of my family's favorites for grilling is Artichokes and Blossom Sauce. Even when they are expensive, we still do it because since it's an appetizer, you only need a couple. First, shove the artichokes whole into a large pot. Cover them completely with water. They will float so try to wedge them against the sides so they stay under. If needed, get a pot lid that is smaller than your pot and lay it on top of the artichokes to keep them down. Cover the large pot with its appropriate lid. Turn the burner up to high and set a timer 30 minutes. When the timer goes off, carefully pull a leaf off of one of the artichokes with a pair of tongs (not thongs, like my mother says) to see if they are done. "Done" means the leaf comes off fairly easily. If they are down, dump out the water and put the artichokes on a cutting board to cool off a bit. Use the tongs, they are super hot. After they are cool enough for you to handle, slice each artichoke in half with a knife. A serated knife works best for this. Lay them flat side down on a tray to bring out to the grill. Grill them rounded side down for 15 minutes then flip them to flat side down for 10 minutes. Bring them in and serve with Blossom Sauce. To make the sauce, I squirt about a half a cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Mayonnaise into a bowl with about a fourth of a cup of ketchup. Stir in a tablespoon of minced garlic. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Add about half a tablespoon of onion powder and about a fourth of a tablespoon of Tony's Cajun Seasoning. Stir it all up and serve as a dipping sauce for the artichoke leaves. Remember, the best part of the artichoke is the heart. Easily scoop out the pokey parts with a spoon and then eat the whole heart and even the stem with the sauce. Delicious, even as leftovers!