Image via Therisingspoon
If you’ve ever walked past artichokes at the grocery store and thought “what the heck do I do with those?!?” This post is for you!
If you only eat artichokes in restaurants simply because cook them seems daunting, this post is for you.
The objective of today’s post is to show just how easy it is to make this unique vegetable (it’s technically a flower though).
Artichokes are tasty, rich in antioxidants and are a great way to impress dinner guests.
When shopping for artichokes, there are few things you should keep in mind.
Firstly, the months of March – May are peak season for artichokes, this is when you can get the freshest artichokes at the best price.
Next, keep in mind color- pick artichokes with a deep green color.
Finally, pay close attention to leaf formation- select only artichokes with tight leaf formations and avoid ones that have split leaves.
Once you’re certain you’ve got the cream of the crop on your hands, proceed with the cooking.
1. Wash the artichokes
Image via Noshon
Wash the artichokes by running them under cold water in your kitchen sink. This is to remove all the dust and grime that must have collected on top.
Be careful when handling uncooked artichokes as they tend to be spiky, so if you have a soft kitchen brush, you can certainly use that to clean the artichokes and remove the film-like substance that artichokes produce.
2. Get rid of the spikes
Next, we are going to get rid of the spikes by cutting off about an inch from the top, using a sharp serrated knife.
3. Trim the artichokes
Image via simplyrecipes
Make sure you have a pair of kitchen shears handy because you will need them to trim off the top of every petal to get rid of all those spikes on the body.
4. Clean up the stem
Now it’s time to pay attention to the stem; get a vegetable peeler to scrape off the hard bit of the stem. The stem is usually very fibrous and quite hard- definitely not what you want to be munching on.
5. Cut off the stem
We won’t be stopping at just peeling the stems, bring back that serrated knife because you will need it to chop off most of the stem. What is left after you’ve chopped it off should not be more than an inch long.
Finally, when you’re done with that, rinse your artichokes again under running water in order to clean them up and get rid of any dirt that has been hiding behind the petals.
6. Steam the artichokes
Steaming is one of the easiest ways to cook artichokes. For this, grab a pot, add some water and then put in your steamer basket.
Bring the water to a boil, then add the artichoke to your steamer basket and reduce the heat to simmer. Remember to put the lid back on when you do so.
The artichokes will take anywhere from 20-40 minutes to steam depending on the size.
7. Check for doneness
After 20 minutes you can start checking to see if your ‘choke is ready by pulling one of the petals out using the tong; If it comes off easily, you’re artichoke is ready to eat.
If it isn’t quite ready the first time, give it another 5 minutes and check again. Continue with this process until you’re certain it’s done.
Do you know how to eat an artichoke? Click on the video below to find out the best way to enjoy this delicacy.
Watch Video Tutorial
Be sure to leave your comments and feedback in the comment section below. I look forward to reading about your first time cooking artichokes.
