I came across some gorgeous artichokes at the farmers’ market this past weekend and couldn’t resist taking a few home with me. Fresh artichokes are a real treat and so much different than the canned or frozen versions you find most places. Large ones are best steamed and make a great appetizer or side dish. I like to peel off the leaves and dip them in tzatziki sauce, but my favorite part is the heart, which I like to slice and eat with lemon and melted butter. The whole process is a bit involved, so it's a great thing to make on a lazy night where you can watch a movie while sitting around and dissecting the artichokes.
Steamed Artichokes:
- Cut most of the stem off of 4 large artichokes so that each artichoke can stand upright, and slice 1/4"-1/2" off of the top of each.
- Pull off any cracked or bruised outer leaves, then use a pair of kitchen shears to cut the sharp edge off of each outer leaf.
- Place the artichokes, stem side down, into a large pot and fill with 2-3 c. of water.*
- Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for 35-45 minutes, or until a knife can easily slide into the steam of each artichoke.
- Remove the artichokes from the pot and cool for 10 minutes.
- Peel off the outer leaves and serve with tzatziki sauce or melted butter for dipping.
- Once all the outer leaves have been eaten, remove all the interior ones and discard.
- Use a spoon to scrape out the hairy choke in the center,** so you will be left only with the heart.
- Slice the heart and serve with melted butter and a squeeze of lemon.
Serves four - eight (appetizer or side)
*Or enough to cover about 1" of the pot. Check back after about 30 minutes to make sure that all the water hasn't evaporated.
**This part is completely inedible.
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