# How do you cook artichokes?



## Half Baked (Aug 6, 2006)

I have always just boiled mine (in water) with lemon juice, salt and garlic. I'd love some new suggestions.

...and now I'm boiling potatos for a salad in the artichoke water.  Do you think it will be bitter?  I've never tried it before but hated to see all that flavor go down the drain.


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## ironchef (Aug 6, 2006)

You might be able to find some ideas that you like here:

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/search.php?searchid=286596


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## Half Baked (Aug 6, 2006)

Lol Thank you Ironchef....I completely forgot about the 'search' button.


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## ironchef (Aug 6, 2006)

Half Baked said:
			
		

> ...and now I'm boiling potatos for a salad in the artichoke water. Do you think it will be bitter? I've never tried it before but hated to see all that flavor go down the drain.


 
It probably won't affect the flavor in a noticeable way. But I've never done that before. Let us know how it turns out.


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## cjs (Aug 6, 2006)

Years ago someone brot into the office where I worked a case of artichokes and of course we all scammered to take some home. The next day we were all talking  of how much we had enjoyed them and how we had prepared them. A little Vietnamese gal who worked with us had the darndest expression on her face...turns out she took hers home and she and her mother boiled them in water, threw the chokes away and drank the water....she had no idea.


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## Gretchen (Aug 6, 2006)

No new flavor ideas, but the pressure cooker positively ROCKS!!!


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## Half Baked (Aug 6, 2006)

The potatos were really good.  The lemon/garlic/artichoke added enough flavor to make them interesting.  I mainly tasted lemon and garlic, the artichoke flavor was weak.

I used to use the artichoke water in soups but my freezer doesn't have enough space for a toothpick.


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## FryBoy (Aug 6, 2006)

Half Baked said:
			
		

> I have always just boiled mine (in water) with lemon juice, salt and garlic. I'd love some new suggestions.


 
I've done them in the microwave with good success. It's been some time since I've done it that way, but I think this is correct: 

Trim the stem off, cut off about 1/2 to 1 inch of the top, and trim the ends of the sharp leaves with a pair of scissors if you want them to be easier to eat. 

Rinse them, drizzle a little olive oil over them, add a squeeze of lemon, a little salt and pepper, and maybe some garlic powder or slivered garlic stuck between the leaves. 

Wrap each artichoke tightly in Saran wrap. Place them on a plate, with the bottoms pointed toward the edge of the plate. 

Microwave on high -- I think I used to do two large artichokes for 13 minutes (not positive). Turn them over half way through. 

They're done when a sharp cooking fork easily pierces the bottom. Don't nuke them too long as they'll continue to cook after you take them out. 

Unwrap and serve with butter or mayo or ranch dressing or thousand island dressing or blue cheese dressing or whatever else you like. 

BTW, I think artichokes are best either luke warm or cold. I just put them in the refrigerator still wrapped in the Saran and leave them until they're needed.


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## karadekoolaid (Aug 7, 2006)

Half Baked said:
			
		

> I have always just boiled mine (in water) with lemon juice, salt and garlic. I'd love some new suggestions.
> 
> ...and now I'm boiling potatos for a salad in the artichoke water. Do you think it will be bitter? I've never tried it before but hated to see all that flavor go down the drain.


 
Firstly - try to find some small artichokes (baby artichokes) with the stem still attached. Remove ALL the leaves ( save them for snacking) and trim the heart, removing the hairy middle, if it's there. Trim the stalk but leave intact. 
Toss into acidulated water. 
When you've trimmed all the chokes, stand them stem side up ( heart down) in a pan. Barely cover the heart with water. Add fresh marjoram, or oregano, salt, pepper, and a good splash of EVOO. Bring to the boil then lower to a minimal simmer, and place a tight lid on top.10 minutes cooking should be enough, and you can use the remaining liquid to make a delicious dressing for the "Carciofi alla Romana"...
Secondly - boil the potatoeswith a sliced onion and a clove or two of garlic. Add a good dose of olive oil and some fresh herbs- but add the (cooked) artichoke hearts at the last minute. Yummy recipe!
I also cook them ( boil them!) until barely cooked, then sautée in olive oil with piles of diced bacon. Mix with some Feta cheese  and  clove of garlic or two, roll up in Phyllo pastry, bake in the oven, and send me a bottle of Retsina to drink with mine!!!


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## Harborwitch (Aug 7, 2006)

I have a bottle of Retsina all chilled and waiting!  Funny I was thinking that we were the only two people who'll drink Retsina.  Everytime we open a bottle people run.  The artichokes sound really good to go with.  Yum.


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## Claire (Aug 7, 2006)

I usually steam mine in the microwave oven, then make a dipping sauce of mayo, a touch of honey, a touch of dijon, a pinch of cayenne.  Maybe some sesame oil if it is around.  Oh, and the juice of a lemon on the artichoke itself.


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## kadesma (Aug 7, 2006)

Claire said:
			
		

> I usually steam mine in the microwave oven, then make a dipping sauce of mayo, a touch of honey, a touch of dijon, a pinch of cayenne. Maybe some sesame oil if it is around. Oh, and the juice of a lemon on the artichoke itself.


Claire,
your dipping sauce sounds so nice. We use either butter or mayo, and many times I just eat them without anything at all..My favorite though is to quarter them after cooking almost through and then sauteeing them in evoo and butter and at the very end I sprinkle them with fresh chopped parsley and finely minced or crushed garlic, cook several minutes more and serve..My mother-in-law always did them like this and it's a family favorite.

kadesma


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## VeraBlue (Aug 7, 2006)

cut about half an inch off the top, and even out the bottom.  Pull the leaves open a bit and run cold water into the leaves.

In a bowl, mix bread crumbs, chopped garlic, grated parmesan, salt, pepper and fresh parsley.  Force this breading into the leaves, about 1/3 cup of filling per choke.  Place them, standing upright, into a frying pan with straight sides, about 2 inches deep.  Drizzle olive oil over each artichoke.  Fill the pan with water, coming about halfway up the choke.   Cover tightly, and simmer for 20-30 minutes.   They are done when the leaves pull away easily.

When you pull a leaf away, it will be loaded with the bread mixtue.   Keep eating this way till you get to the center.  Then, cut the hairy choke away and eat the heart.


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## Ellen (Aug 7, 2006)

Rather good to snip the tips off leaves,  spread the leaves, scrape ou the choke, stuff centre with what ever takes your fancy.


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## Half Baked (Aug 7, 2006)

These all sound really good.  I've never stuffed an artichoke.  That may be my first project.  I tried them in the microwave but they dried out and were worthless.  I assume I didn't use enough water. 

I brought a bag of baby artichokes home, followed a recipe (have no idea which one) and they were awful.  Chef June told me that I purchased them out of season.  

I have been boiling them forever and since that is my tnt, it's time to try something new.

thank for all the suggestions.


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## MexicoKaren (Aug 7, 2006)

I always steam them individually in the microwave, in about an inch of water in a small deep bowl. Wrap them tight in good plastic wrap and stem for about 8 minutes. Let the first one sit while you steam the second one, etc. Buen provencho! Karen


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## kadesma (Aug 7, 2006)

Half Baked said:
			
		

> These all sound really good. I've never stuffed an artichoke. That may be my first project. I tried them in the microwave but they dried out and were worthless. I assume I didn't use enough water.
> 
> I brought a bag of baby artichokes home, followed a recipe (have no idea which one) and they were awful. Chef June told me that I purchased them out of season.
> 
> ...


MY mother-in-law use to make baby artichokes like what I described in the post above, and there were times when after tasting one just before sauteeing them she would find them very bitter and impossible to use. she learned that yes out of season ones could be bitter, so she switched to the frozen quartered ones which for this recipe were fine. She only used the fresh during the cold months and then they were like butter.

kadesma


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## lindatooo (Aug 8, 2006)

I agree the Pressure Cooker is GREAT for artichokes but you can't do a 'choke over 9 oz in the PC.

I love them with mayo and have recently gone back to the most simplistic seasonings.  A bay leaf makes them tasty though.

Funny story:  When DH and I first met I prepared artichokes with a steak dinner.  Since I don't have a huge appetite I rarely get to the choke itself and am content with the leaves.  Since the meal was a large one I didn't wonder why he didn't eat all of the artichoke.  Not long after I found out that was the first time he'd ever eaten one and was following my lead (thinking it was a pretty low return on the labor investment dish) and didn't even know about the heart!  These days artichoke hearts do not go to waste around our house!


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