Wash and prepare artichokes. To prep the artichokes, use a serrated knife to cut ~1” off the top of the artichoke. Then peel off the majority of the leaves until you reach very tender light yellow leaves (do not throw these away! They can be stemmed separately and enjoyed with dipping sauce.). Use kitchen shears to remove any thorny tips on the remaining leaves. During this entire process, keep a lemon handy and rub each cut with lemon juice to keep the artichoke from oxidizing (we also place them in a bowl of lemon water while we are preparing the rest of the chokes)

Clean the stem by cutting off an inch from the bottom of the stem and peeling the remaining outer stem. Rub the exposed stem with lemon juice

Cut the artichoke in half. Again, rub the exposed choke with a lemon

In a pot of boiling water with ~2-3 inches of water, mix in the salt and peppercorns. Add in the lemon. Place the pot over medium high heat and add the artichokes. Boil for ~20 minutes until tender.

Remove them from the water and remove the furry, indelible center with a spoon

Pat the artichokes dry with a paper towel (you can set these aside covered with the paper towel while you make the gremolata and ricotta)

Set a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add in the olive oil and artichokes cut side down. Fry for ~3 minutes until they are golden.

Place the prepared whipped ricotta (below) in an even layer on the bottom of a plate. Add the artichokes on top and dot with the gremolata (use to taste, there may be some leftover). Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze more lemon juice over top to taste

Add the olive oil into a bowl. Finely chop all the herbs and add them into the bowl.

Add the garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest and stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the ricotta, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper into a bowl. Use a whisk to whip the mixture slightly. Set aside or in the fridge until ready to plate.