Steamed Artichokes
Cooking whole artichokes can take about an hour, but cutting them in half or quarters before cooking reduces the cooking time to less than 20 minutes. Plus, the half or quarter is a perfect serving size.
Ingredients
- Artichokes
Preparation
Wash artichokes under running water. The pointed ends or the leaves can be removed by cutting off about ¼ inch with kitchen shears. Cut ¼ inch of the stem end of the artichoke off. On a cutting board, hold the artichoke with the stem facing up and cut through the entire artichoke with a large knife. Using a spoon scoop out the “choke” (fuzzy-looking part) and any sharp purple-ish petals. Set each half in a bowl of water with some lemon juice until they are ready to steam. Steam artichokes in a steamer basket by bringing the water to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Steam artichokes for 15-20 minutes until they are easily pierced at the stem end with a fork.
Serving
Artichokes are often served with a dipping sauce. The sauce can be as simple as melted butter or mayonnaise. For something more fancy, try one of these dipping sauce recipes.
Eating Artichokes
Simply peel off a petal, dip it in sauce and scrape the inside of the petal with your teeth. Once scraped, discard the petal. As you peel off the leaf, it will begin to reveal a culinary treat – the heart of the artichoke. Once the petals are gone, cut the heart into pieces, dip and enjoy the final bites of your delicious artichoke!
Dipping Sauce Recipes
Lemon Garlic Herb Butter
- ½ cup butter
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
In a small saucepan, melt butter. Add garlic and lemon zest. Serve with artichokes.
Herb Mayonnaise
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp. parsley
- 1 tsp. green onions
- 1 tsp. fresh tarragon
Finely chop parsley, green onions, and tarragon. Mix herbs with mayonnaise and serve with artichokes.
Pesto Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 1-2 Tbsp. store-bought pesto
Whisk together mayonnaise and pesto. Serve with artichokes.
