I've always been intimidated by artichokes until I got some in our weekly farm box, they were here I didn't want to waste them so I looked up how to make them and gave it a shot. I remember we were so skeptical about them that we didn't even sit down, we just stood at the kitchen counter and ate them dipping them in plain melted butter. To our surprise we thoroughly enjoyed them and they were actually quite filling and hearty.
Without further ado, you'll need some artichokes, we usually do 4. So for 4 artichokes I usually use 4TBSP of butter melted, 2-3 cloves of garlic and juice of half a lemon.
Wash your artichokes
Trim them, cut the stem at the base and tear off the few leaves off the bottom, just the ones that are practically falling off anyways. Cut about 1.5" off the top.
If the petals/leaves are prickly then take some kitchen shears and trim them all
Put about an inch of water into a cooking pot and put your prepped artichokes in there, you can salt the water a bit but it isn't really necessary. Also they will start to go dark as soon as you cut them so if you are serving it up for company and want to keep them a vibrant green then put a slice of lemon over the top of each artichoke where you cut it. I don't usually do that because I'm too lazy.
Bring to a boil reduce heat cover and steam for about 30minutes
After about 30 minutes check them, gently tug at one of the petals and if it comes off easily then they are ready, if it's not wanting to come off then let them cook longer, make sure your water isn't cooked out so they don't burn.
While they cook prep the dip, melt your butter then while it's still hot grate the garlic into it and whisk it in well, squeeze half a lemon into the butter as well. I add olive oil, probably because that just makes it seem slightly healthier, you can do that as well or you can let the dip be just butter.
If adding olive oil, add in a small stream while whisking
Pour the dip into individual dipping bowls and serve up on a big plate (need space for the waste) with the artichoke.
If you've never eaten one before, you tear off the leaves one at a time, dip them in the butter mixture, and then at the bottom of the leaf is where the meat is, scrape it off with your teeth.
Do that with all the meaty leaves, when they get really thin I usually pull them out in a bunch and just dip and eat the bottom tips. Once you've processed all the leaves you get to the center, that's the choke of your artichoke. That hairy part is not edible
Luckily it comes off easily (the hairy stuff that is) just scrape it off with a spoon or a fork.
You'll be left with the base of the flower, known as the heart. It's delicious! you can eat the whole thing, the artichoke heart that is.
Found this nifty little diagram, just a bit of a guide. Enjoy!
http://gardenofeaden.blogspot.com/2010/06/which-part-of-artichoke-do-you-eat.html
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