Artichokes

My kids like artichokes.  We don't eat fresh artichokes very often, but I try to keep bottled marinated artichoke hearts on hand to throw into salads.  My husband was very unfamiliar with artichokes when I first purchased them, but we grew up with eating them every summer.  They are an odd looking plant and can sometimes be dangerous with their sharp thorns on the tips of the outer leaves.

For those who are unfamiliar with artichokes, here is a little guide as how to prep and eat them. 

Artichokes:

• High in Vitamin C
• Low in calories (60 calories an artichoke)
• Good source of fiber, magnesium, and folate.

Marinated artichoke hearts are high in sodium, so they are not exactly a free for all, but artichokes can be prepared in different ways.  They can be boiled, steamed, marinated, and grilled.

Prepping the artichokes:

Artichokes come with thorns poking out from the tips of the leaves.  Some stores do sell them pre trimmed, but most do not. 

• Wash each artichoke well under cold water. 
• With a sharp knife, cut each artichoke top about 1” from the top, removing the thorns.  Any thorns that remain can either be snipped off with scissors.
• Optional: trim the stem about ½”.  You can remove the entire stem if it is easier to set them in the steamer, but the stem is edible and is helpful for testing doneness.

 Boiling:

• Fill a large pot half way with water, add salt to the water (optional, but recommended).  Add the prepared artichokes to the water.
• Boil for about 30 minutes or until stem is knife tender.  This may take as long as 45 minutes, depending on the size of the artichoke.

 Grilling:

Basic idea of grilling artichokes:

• Clean and prep the artichokes (see: prepping the artichokes above) and boil the artichokes in salted water for 15-20  min. Drain of excess water.
• cut lengthwise in half and drizzle with olive oil
• grill 10-15 min, turning and basting as needed

 Options:

• stuff lemon slices or crushed garlic between the leaves while cooking
• use infused olive oil (garlic, herbs, or chiles work well)
• Sprinkle the cut side with salt if desired.

 How to eat an artichoke:

I know this sounds goofy to add instruction on how to eat something, but seriously, if you are not familiar with artichokes, you may feel confused as how to eat them.  It’s a large bulbous leafy vegetable that even after cooking, the leaves remain tough and fibrous.

Most often, artichoke leaves and hearts are dipped in butter or mayonnaise.  If I grill them, I usually eat them with no dipping sauce just because they are already seasoned.

If you pull the outside leaves off and turn them over, you should be able to see the “meat” of the leaf, which starts at the base of the leaf and goes up about ½ way.  Bite down on the leaf, holding on to the tip end, and pull away.  You should be able to scrape off the meat with your teeth.  Discard the rest of the leaf.  As you reach the center of the artichoke, the leaves will become more tender and easier to eat.  The center of the artichoke contains the heart.  Simply remove any remaining leaves, scoop out the hair with a spoon, and you are left with the heart, which is basically the base that is connected to the stem.  If this is confusing, you can refer to this short Youtube video.  It's kind of weird watching it, but it gives you a visual idea.