I have never made fried chicken. If word of this leaks out, I fear my Southern Residency might be in jeopardy. I generally skip frying things because it's hard to rationalize the calories. Obviously I make exceptions for my Taco Shells and my homemade tortilla chips, but otherwise I am a fry-free kind of gal.

Or rather, I was.

I recently discovered this fried artichoke recipe in the California the Beautiful cookbook and I'm a tad smitten!! This is a perfect dish for a crowd.

Here's what you need:

2 boxes (9 oz) frozen artichoke hearts
1 egg
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil (plus what you need for frying)
1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup beer
1/4 cup milk
Salt & Pepper to taste

Begin by thawing the artichoke hearts. Pat dryMeanwhile beat egg with the oil.Add the beer and milk.Then stir in the flour, salt and pepper.Allow the batter to sit for an hour. If the batter seems too thick after the hour, you can thin with another 1/4 cup of milk. Dredge each artichoke heart in the batter and drop into the preheated (375 degrees if you take the temp or when a sample bit of batter floats quickly to the top) oil. Cook for about 2 minutes a side.

Drain on paper towels.Top with any additional salt and a healthy squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.So tasty!! I may have to rethink the chicken thing...

Enjoy!!

Fried Artichokes