How To Prepare and Cook Artichokes

How To Choose The Right Artichokes

Artichokes are green plants that are not commonly consumed by people. Some parts of the world eat them usually whereas others don't. Their appearance is a bit unique, which may confuse some people while picking the right one.

Let's suppose you are told to buy some artichokes on your way back home and you have never bought them before. No worries, here are some things to consider when buying artichokes:

• The first thing to do is choose fresh artichokes. Fresh artichokes feel heavy when picked up. If the artichoke feels light, then it may indicate the old one. 
• The second thing is to squeeze the artichoke leaves. If the leaves get squeezed easily and have a crunchy texture, then it's fresh. 
• The third thing is to look for the condition of leaves. If the leaves are not separated widely and are tightly leaned towards the center of the plant, this also indicates the fresh artichokes. 
• Lastly, look for the color of artichokes. Fresh artichokes have a dark green color in their leaves. If leaves have turned gray or have brown spots, this indicates an old one. Besides this, the stem also should be firm and fresh-looking. If it is soft or dried out, avoid buying that one. 

Ingredients To Cook Artichokes

Artichokes

The main ingredient needed to prepare artichokes is fresh artichokes. Go to your nearest grocery store and buy some fresh artichokes following the guidelines in the previous block. You can choose the quantity based on your recipes. 

Water

Water plays a vital role in cooking artichokes. Since artichokes are steamed not boiled. So water needs to be boiled properly and then artichokes will be placed on the steamer. This way the steam from the boiled water softens the artichokes.

Lemon

Lemons are essential when it comes to cooking any kind of dish. It is because they help to bring out the tangy flavors and balance the overall richness of the dish. In the case of artichokes, lemon is added to prevent the artichokes from discoloration and brings flavors to artichokes. 

Salt and black pepper

Salt is added to the water to quickly soften the firmness of artichokes as well as for seasoning purposes. Whereas black pepper adds a bit of hotness to artichokes when eaten. So both of these ingredients work as the seasonings to the dish and add more flavors. 

Garlic

Garlic has its savory smell when added to water, the garlicky aroma gets infused to the artichokes while steaming. 

Parsely leaves

Parsely leaves are used to give the final touch to artichokes when they are cooked and ready to be eaten. Adding parsely leaves creates a fresh aroma to the dish. You can add any green herbs based on your accessibility. 

Butter

Butter is a soft and creamy ingredient that is well paired with any dish. In the case of artichokes, It is used as a dipping sauce. You can also add some butter to the water while steaming artichokes to create a buttery aroma to it. 

Equipment Required To Cook Artichokes

• A well-functioning gas stove: This is an essential piece of equipment to ensure artichokes are cooked timely and evenly. 
• Large pot with a steamer: Artichokes are best when they are steamed as the flavor gets enhanced and the texture becomes soft. For that, you need to have a large pot along with a steamer and a lid. Here steamer will be placed above the water in the pot and artichokes are placed in the steamer. A lid is used to cover the artichokes properly to ensure proper cooking. 
• Scissor: The Scissor will be useful in trimming the tips of leaves. It is important to cut the tips of leaves to avoid any disturbances while eating it.
• Sharp knife and cutting board: A sharp knife is used to slice off the top of artichokes and a cutting board is there to support this process. 
• Tongs: You will need a tong to handle and transfer the hot artichokes to a plate during and after cooking. This will prevent you from getting burned.
• A plate: It is used to place the artichokes after the cooking and enjoy the dish. 

How To Cook Artichokes

Ingredient Measurements

• Artichokes: 4 medium-sized
• Water: 2-3 inches of water from the bottom of the pot
• Lemon: 1 large sized
• Garlic: 2-3 cloves
• Salt: 1-2 teaspoons
• Black Pepper: 1/2 teaspoon
• Parsely Leaves: 2-3 fresh leaves
• Butter: 2-4 tablespoons

Instructions

Follow the step-by-step guide to prepare artichokes at home:

1. Prepare the artichokes

The first step towards cooking artichokes is to prepare them.

Initially, trim the tips of the leaves with the help of scissors. This will make the handling of artichokes easier as well as eliminate the hurdles while eating them. Then move to cut off the 1-inch top of the artichokes and pluck smaller leaves around the base area.

Besides this, cut off the end part of the stem as it tastes a bit more bitter than other parts. So cutting it off would not spoil your taste while eating. Finally, wash artichokes properly with plain water to remove dirt particles. Make sure to rinse the leaves by opening them a bit so that water can enter and clean them. 

2. Place the pot and boil the water

After preparing the artichokes, move forward to prepare the water. First, place the pot and turn on the stove. Then pour water until it reaches 2-3 inches from the bottom of the pot. Add 2-3 garlic cloves or minced garlic, add 1tabespoon of salt, squeeze half the lemon, and add the half lemon without squeezing. 

To add more aromatic fragrance, add 2-3 parsely fresh leaves to the water. Besides that, you can add some olive oil or butter and this is optional. 

3. Steam the artichokes

The third step is to steam the artichokes. For this,  adjust the steamer to the pot and place prepared artichokes on top of the steaming utensil. Now cover the pot and let the water boil by keeping the heat at medium flame. Let the artichokes steam for about 25-45 minutes or longer if needed. 

Make sure to check the water level, if it drops too low, you need to add some more water to the pot. This can happen only when you set the flames at high, causing water to dry quickly without cooking the artichokes.

4. Check for doneness

Once the estimated time is crossed, proceed to check for the doneness of the artichokes. Get a tong and try to pull one of the leaves, if it comes easily then the artichokes are cooked. Whereas, if the leaves are not pulled off easily, cover the lid and continue to steam for a bit longer. 

Additionally, you can slide down the knife into the bottom part of the artichokes to check for its doneness. If the knife gets into the heart easily then it's ready. Otherwise, you will need to wait some time for them to be fully cooked. 

5. Serve and enjoy

After the artichokes are fully steamed and cooked, you can transfer them to a plate with the help of a tong and serve them with dipping sauce such as melted butter, mayonnaise, or a vinaigrette.

If you haven't eaten this before, you might be wondering how to eat artichokes. Here's the answer. First, pull off the leaves and dip them into melted butter, mayonnaise, or your favorite sauce. Don't dip the whole part of the leaves, instead dip the white mushy end of the leaves in a sauce and place that part to the side of your lower teeth and pull through teeth. This way you can enjoy the soft and fleshy part of the leaves and discard the other parts. 

When you are done removing all the leaves and reach to the purple tips on top of the choke, pluck that purple tips too. You will see the fuzzy part called choke, which is not for eating so remove that part as well. Then the heart of the artichoke can be seen, which is a soft and flavorful part. You can chop it into pieces and enjoy it with the sauce. 

Helpful Tips

• You can marinate artichokes with olive oil before steaming
• Rub lemon juice on the cut surfaces of artichokes' leaves to prevent them from getting browned.
• Leave the artichokes to cool down before you transfer them to the plate. It will make the handling process easier. 
• Keep on checking the doneness of artichokes to avoid them from being too mushy.

How Long To Cook Artichokes

The cooking time of artichokes mainly depends on their size. The bigger the size, the greater the time required to cook artichokes. Whereas, if artichokes are comparatively smaller in size, the required time will be less. Normally, Artichokes take around 25-45 minutes to cook. The time range indicates the smaller to bigger. 

A range of steaming times is mentioned below by breaking down the artichokes into smaller, medium to large ones:

• Small artichokes: 20-25 minutes
• Mmedium artichokes: 25-35 minutes
• Large artichokes: 35-45 minutes

What To Serve With Artichokes

Eating steamed artichokes alone might not be interesting for some of you. To add more flavors and spices that complement the flavor of artichokes, you can consider pairing this with some of the dishes. The dishes are mentioned below: 

1. Roasted Garlic Aioli

The rich and savory flavor of roasted garlic aioli has been the center of attraction to many consumers. It is primarily made from roasted garlic, mayonnaise, lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.

These ingredients create the creamy, soft, sweet, and a bit tangy flavors that perfectly balance the slightly bitter, soft, and earthy taste of artichokes. 

You can dip a soft part of artichokes into this creamy and rich flavored sauce to satisfy your tastebuds. The texture of aioli enhances the softness of the heart of artichokes when consumed together. 

2. Feta Cheese Bites

The feta cheese bite is mainly prepared from pure sheep's milk or mixed with goat's milk. Due to the use of milk, this side dish is creamy and a bit salty. Besides this, the tangy, creamy taste of feta balances the earthy taste of artichokes.

Since the feta cheese bites are prepared in smaller sizes they can be served as toppings for steamed artichokes. 

The creation of this side dish requires you to have ingredients such as feta cheese, puff pastry, garlic, honey, egg, herbs, and black pepper. You can adjust or add more ingredients based on your preference. This way you can make feta cheese at home and pair it with artichokes to enjoy the bliss of flavors. 

3. Pork Tenderloin

Pairing the artichokes with pork tenderloin creates a balance of flavors. You not only get to experience the earthy and tenderness of the artichokes but also the juicy, sweet, and meaty flavor of the pork. Both of these alleviate the savory flavors of the dish, satisfying your taste buds. 

The raw materials like garlic, lemon, pork chops, honey, salt, black pepper, and herbs create a mouthwatering palate when served with artichokes. You can enjoy this sophisticated and craving-filling pairing with your friends or loved ones to create a memorable moment. 

4. Cheesy Pizza

A cheesy pizza is another dish to pair artichokes with. The cheesy flavor and crusty texture in the pizza are enriched when cooked artichokes are added as toppings.

You can chop the artichokes into small sices then spread them over the other toppings of pizza. Place the pizza in the oven and bake until it cooks evenly. You can serve the dish and enjoy it with your favorite drinks or beverages.  

5. Asparagus Soup

The blend of asparagus soup with artichokes creates a harmony of flavors. The light main course dish of asparagus completes the slightly nutty and bitter taste of artichokes, creating a blend of balanced flavors.

Both dishes are made from green veggies which not only complement each other but also hold several health benefits when consumed together. This delicate soup can be prepared by using asparagus, onion, garlic, potato, vegetable or chicken soup, cream, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and green herbs.

The involvement of these ingredients brings out the softly sweet, mild greeny, creamy, and earthy flavors to the plate.