1. Eating and Cooking Artichokes
You should see some beautiful,
fresh artichokes arriving at your
local grocery store or farmer’s
market right about now. Some
people are terribly intimidated by
artichokes, and never eat them
unless they happen across pickled
hearts. That’s a shame, because
fresh artichokes are scrumptious.
They are also excellent for your
body, being packed with fiber,
vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium,
potassium, and more antioxidants
than red wine or chocolate. Best
of all, they aren’t difficult to
prepare – if you know a few
tricks.
BuyingArtichokes
Select artichokes with leaves that fit snugly to the vegetable’s body. Fresh
artichokes should be a deep green shade, and ought to feel heavy in your hand. If
you rub the leaves together, they should make a squeaking noise. Remember,
too, the rounder the artichoke is, the larger its meaty heart.
If the leaves are widening away from the body of the vegetable, or the bottom of
the stems look dry or brown, look elsewhere for fresher artichokes.
Storing
Store artichokes in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to four days. Do not
wash previous to storing.

2. Preparing
Wash the artichokes immediately before cooking, using warm water and a gentle
scrubbing motion with your hands. Don’t try to clean between the leaves, or they
may break off. Place the artichokes in a bowl of water and fresh lemon juice.
Hold each artichoke by its stem and cut all the thorns off the vegetable using a
pair of scissors. Using a serrated knife, chop off the top ½ inch of the artichoke. If
you like, you may also cut off the stem. This is typically done for stuffed
artichokes, because it allows the vegetable to sit flat on a plate. However,
artichoke stems are tasty, so you may wish to save them for a soup, stew, or
roast.
Once one artichoke is prepared, put it
back in the lemon water, to prevent
browning.
Cooking
Artichokes lend themselves to many
types of cooking, going well
with peppercorns, marjoram, parsley,
savory, and paprika.
Small artichokes are fantastic added to
a roast, along with potatoes and other
vegetables. They may also be sautéed
in a little olive oil.
Steamed artichokes are simple and
easy to prepare. Place them in a
steamer for 25 – 35 minutes, until
tender. If you like, mix together 1 cup
of melted butter, ½ teaspoon of lemon
zest, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice,

3. and a little pepper, and serve as a dipping sauce. Some people prefer the
simplicity of Ranch dressing or mayonnaise as a dip.
Another common method of cooking artichokes is by boiling. For every 4 cups of
water added to a large pot, add a tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil. Add the juice
from 1 lemon, plus 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Gently drop the artichokes into the
water and simmer for about 20 minutes. Do not overcrowd.
To stuff an artichoke, cut ¾ inch from the top, instead of the usual ½ inch. Spread
the leaves of the uncooked vegetable and pack it with a stuffing of your choice.
Place the stuffed artichokes upright in a steamer until tender.
How to Eat Artichokes
Artichokes may be eaten hot or cold, but I far prefer them hot. To eat, simply pull
off one leaf at a time and (if desired) dip the meaty end (the part that was closest
to the body of the vegetable) while holding on to the outer edge of the leaf. Place
in your mouth, with the dipped side down, and pull the vegetable through your
teeth, removing the meaty part. Discard what’s left of the leaf.
Using a spoon or knife, scrape out the fuzzy part covering the artichoke heart. Cut
the heart into pieces and eat as is, or dip.