I like to take inspiration from restaurants when I’m stumped on how to make another salad feel special. I recently saw a grilled Caesar salad on a menu with super crispy artichoke hearts that acted like a crouton. Brilliant!

We use the same formula for frying the artichoke hearts that we do with shallots. You start them in a cold oil and fry them on medium-low for about 10 minutes until they’re golden and crisp.

In an effort to reduce waste, we used the oil from the jar to fry the artichokes and make the dressing. You can just use olive oil in a sub if you don’t want to re-use that oil, or if yours leans vinegar-heavy.

The crispy crumbs are so good! I know it’s an extra step but it makes it feel special!