Artichokes start showing up in stores in Spring, but you can find beautiful, fresh artichokes until early summer. Artichokes can be a little intimidating. But cooking and eating them is easy and fun. So, let’s break down the artichoke into 3 easy parts. How to cook them, how to serve them, and how to eat them.
Cooking is simple. First, you want to cut the stalk off so the artichoke sits upright without falling over. It’s also best to trim the prickly tips of the leaves with scissors. Submerge the artichokes in salted boiling water, then let them gently simmer for about 45 minutes, until the leaves can be pulled out with a gentle tug and very little resistance. When done, remove them from the water and drain completely upside down to get all the water out.
To serve, sit the artichoke upright on a serving plate, open the leaves slightly with your fingers. Then, drizzle extra virgin olive oil, some seasoning salt and black pepper, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, a squeeze of lemon juice, and s drizzle of balsamic vinegar. You can also serve with mayonnaise, a yummy aioli or even melted butter on the side for dipping.
The best part is eating the artichoke. Start with the outer leaves. Eat them by simply scraping the tender inside of each leaf between your teeth. Be sure you have a discard bowl on hand for the leftover leaves. Once the leaves are finished, grab a spoon to scrape out and remove the hairy center (which is called the “choke”). Be sure to leave all the tender remaining heart to enjoy.
Artichokes are full of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber. They’re also a favorite food at our house. Enjoy the art of the artichoke!
You’re Gonna Love It!
Prep Time:
60 Minutes
Serves:
4-8 People
Recipe Ingredients:
4 Firm Artichokes
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a pinch of Sea Salt and 2 Bay Leaves
½ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Spices and seasonings to taste, e.g. Herbs de Provence or your favorite herb mixture, Black Truffle Salt, Sea Salt, or your favorite seasoned salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 Fresh lemons (sliced into wedges to drizzle over choke and use for garnish)
Optional ½ Cup mayonnaise or Aioli for dipping
Optional 1/2 cup melted butter for dipping
Recipe Steps:
Cut the prickly tip of each leaf with scissors and cut the stalk off so that the artichoke sits upright without falling over.
Boil a large pot of water – into the pot add a splash of olive oil, a pinch of sea salt, and 2 bay leaves.
Immerse the artichokes completely in the boiling water. Once water returns to a boil, reduce to simmer and let artichokes simmer for approximately 45-50 minutes.
Test doneness by pulling a leaf from the stem. It should come off with a gentle tug (taste it to test tenderness).
When done, remove the artichokes from the water and drain them upside down to get all the water out.
Season each artichoke by opening up the leaves gently with our fingers, so each leaf is a vessel for seasonings, olive oil, parmesan, and lemon juice.
Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle seasonings and grated parmesan cheese over the leaves. How much of each is up to you!
Squeeze fresh lemon juice over each artichoke to finish.
Serve and enjoy hot, or at room temperature!