Ingredients
1 cup (120g) raw macadamia nuts
⅔ cup water
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ whole lemon
2 whole, fresh artichokes
Instructions
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Place the macadamia nuts into a bowl and submerge them in enough water to cover them by a few inches. Transfer the bowl to the fridge. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse the nuts.
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Transfer the nuts, water, sea salt, lemon zest and juice, and turmeric powder to a high-speed blender. Blend for 3-4 minutes, or until you have a very smooth, creamy mixture, stopping to scrape the blender down if needed. If the mixture is not blending evenly, add a few extra tablespoons of water to the blender. Transfer the aioli to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to four days.
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When you’re ready to prepare the artichokes, slice the lemon crosswise into 3-4 ¼-inch thick slices. Fill a large pot with a few inches of water and fit it with a steamer basket. Bring the water to a simmer.
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Use kitchen shears or scissors to snip the sharp tips off the artichoke outer leaves. Snip off any small leaves around the stem. Then, trim the stem. Use a serrated knife to cut the top ⅓ of the artichoke off crosswise. Repeat the process with both artichokes.
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Place the artichokes into the steamer basket. Steam for 35-45 minutes, or until the artichokes have opened up and the leaves can be pulled off very easily.
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Arrange the artichokes onto a serving platter with the macadamia lemon aioli. To enjoy, pull off artichoke leaves, dip them in the aioli, and use your teeth to pull off the tender artichoke and dip.
