Each month in Well Stocked , our staff shares unfussy recipe ideas that you can call upon any day of the week. Because yes, our editors love to cook, but sometimes we need to get dinner on the table 12 minutes ago. That’s when we look to pantry and fridge staples that can quickly morph into delicious meals. This month, it’s all about marinated artichokes.

Oh, the artichoke: an aloof green globe, made up of scale-like leaves and a fuzzy interior. But the flavor? So vegetal, so buttery. As a member of the thistle family, the raw vegetable takes a fair amount of trimming and coaxing (including removing the spiky part aptly known as the choke) before it’s good to go. And after you’ve wrestled it into submission, there’s not a ton to show for all that effort.

Which is part of the appeal of marinated artichokes—the kind you get in a jar. Tender, tangy, and genuinely ready to eat, they’re a shortcut worth taking, adding a bright hit of acidity and a satisfying meaty texture to all kinds of dishes.…