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STEAM - BOIL - MICROWAVE
| 1. |
Wash artichokes
under cold running water. |
| 2. |
Pull off
lower petals which are small or discolored. |
| 3. |
Cut stems
close to base. ( Use stainless knives to prevent
discoloration. ) |
| 4. |
Cut off
top quarter and tips of petals, if desired. (
Generally, some people like the look of clipped
petals, but it really isn't necessary to remove
the thorns. They soften with cooking and pose
no threat to diners. ) |
| 5. |
Plunge into
acidified water to preserve color. ( One tablespoon
vinegar or lemon juice per quart of water. ) |
| 6. |
Optional: The
trimmed artichoke stems are edible. Cut brown
end about ½-inch. Peel fibrous outer layer
to reach tender green of stem. Stem may be steamed
whole with the artichoke. Cut into rounds or
julienne for salads or pastas. |
STUFFED ARTICHOKE, UNCOOKED
| 7. |
Follow steps
1 through 6. Give cut side a "rap" on the counter
top. Gently spread petals until central cone
is reached. |
| 8. |
Pull out
central purple or thorny center leaves. |
| 9. |
With a spoon,
scrape out any remaining purple and fuzz. |
| 10. |
Stuff center
and outer petals with mixture prior to cooking. |
STUFFED ARTICHOKE, COOKED
| 11. |
Gently spread
leaves until center cone is reached. Pull out. |
| 12. |
With a spoon,
scrape out any purple-tipped leaves and fuzz. |
| 13. |
Stuff center
cavity with favorite mixture. |
(COMPLETELY EDIBLE) BABY ARTICHOKES
While the tiniest of artichokes
can be steamed whole and eaten like the larger sizes, the
versatility of the "babies" shine when they are prepped to
be completely edible.
| 14. |
Bend back
outer petals, snapping them off at the base. |
| 15. |
Continue
snapping off petals until the leaves are half
green (at the top) and half yellow. |
| 16. |
Using a
stainless steel knife, to minimize discoloration,
cut the top cone of the leaves at the point where
the yellow meets the green. (Green is fibrous.) |
| 17. |
Cut the
stem level with the base and trim any remaining
green from the base of the artichoke. (Just like
peeling the skin from an apple.) |
| 18. |
Plunge into
acidified water. |
| 19. |
Steam whole;
for stir-fry or sauté, cut in half or
quarter horizontally. If there are purple or
pink leaves, cut them out. (Those leaves will
be tough.) If the interior is white, the entire
artichoke is edible. Place in acidulated water
to minimize browning while prepping. |
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