All Choked Up: How to Cook and Eat an Artichoke

Enlarge Image Image Gallery From the savory leaves to the succulent center, we love everything the artichoke has to offer. Photo By Tim Nauman

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

A steamed artichoke makes a luscious meal for one. With a little prep and plenty of butter, you can savor the simplicity.

1 artichoke
1 lemon
2 (or more—no one’s watching) tablespoons of butter

How to Cook an Artichoke

1. You only want the best, so get rid of the rest—tear off the tough outer leaves, and cut off the stem. Lay the artichoke on its side, and slice off about an inch from the top. Use kitchen scissors to snip off the sharp tip of each leaf.

2. You want it pretty. Rub the artichoke all over with half a lemon, cut side down, to keep it sprightly and green.

3. Drop the trimmed artichoke into boiling water, or set it upside down in a steamer tray. Boil or steam it until a knife slides easily into the cut-stem end or until a leaf pulls off easily, about 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, read a couple of chapters from the book you’ve been neglecting on your nightstand. Do some stretches. Then set a beautiful table with your favorite dishes: one fork, one small plate, one soup bowl and one small ramekin…all for yourself.

How to Eat an Artichoke

1. Squeeze the other half of your lemon into a couple of tablespoons of melted butter in the ramekin.

2. Set the artichoke flat-side down on your plate, and begin to pull off one leaf at a time. Dip the meaty end of the leaf in lemon butter, and s-l-o-w-l-y scrape the meat off with your teeth. Mmmmmmm. Toss the relished leaves in the bowl.

3. Notice how each leaf gets better and better as you get closer to the heart. Yum!

4. Observe your satisfyingly tall mound of discarded leaves. It’s OK now to begin to remember how good eating this artichoke has been.