Best way to cook and eat an artichoke?

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Hey Addie, I've never removed the choke prior to it being cooked. Is it difficult to remove that way? It would be very nice to NOT have to remove it while eating. Thanks, Tim

No. The secret is to get the two thumbs down into the top and spread them apart as far as you can without breaking the veggie. Then reach down with whatever tool you are planning on using. Starting on the outside of the choke, go around and under the bottom and cut and dig it out. Sounds harder than it really is. A grapefruit spoon has a serrated edge and makes the job so much easier. :chef:
 
No. The secret is to get the two thumbs down into the top and spread them apart as far as you can without breaking the veggie. Then reach down with whatever tool you are planning on using. Starting on the outside of the choke, go around and under the bottom and cut and dig it out. Sounds harder than it really is. A grapefruit spoon has a serrated edge and makes the job so much easier. :chef:

Thanks Addie! I saw some at the store a couple days ago that were nice and large. I'll try it!
 
No. The secret is to get the two thumbs down into the top and spread them apart as far as you can without breaking the veggie. Then reach down with whatever tool you are planning on using. Starting on the outside of the choke, go around and under the bottom and cut and dig it out. Sounds harder than it really is. A grapefruit spoon has a serrated edge and makes the job so much easier. :chef:

Thanks Addie! I saw some at the store a couple days ago that were nice and large. I'll try it!
YUP. Addie is completely correct. I do it the same way. Then I stuff the whole middle and the leaves.
 
Lots of good ideas for cooking artichokes. I'd like to share my favorite dip (courtesy of the California Artichoke Advisory Board). Butter is good, but this is heavenly.

Casanova's Appassionata Artichoke Dip

1/2 C sour cream
1/2 C mayonnaise
1-1/2 T chopped chives plus extra for garnish
1 T prepared horseradish
1/2 t salt


In a bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, chives, horseradish, and salt; chill. Garnish with additional chives.
 
I found a way that I love. par boil choke part way, cut in half, remove thistle then put the cut choke on a preheated very hot grill. Cook til as dark as you like. remove to plate. dab a ;ittle butter mixed with fresh chopped herbs of choice, and enjoy.Fave herbs are dill,parsley,finly chopped garlic and marjoram.
kades
 
Here is a tip for microwave steaming of artichokes that I got from a microwave cookbook - Can't remember the name or author at the moment.

Clean and trim artichokes. Place in a microwave safe container that they will fit in one layer bottoms down. Place water and lemon juice in container (then dip the cut surfaces in the juice water to prevent discoloration and replace bottom down). Place foil ONLY over the TOP of chokes (so long as there is MORE exposed than is covered by foil it will be safe. I have been doing this for 25 years so it IS TNT) leave bottom and sides UNCOVERED. Steam in microwave at 1/2 power 5 minutes at a time till an inner leaf pulls out when gently tugged.

Are you talking about using aluminum foil in the microwave?
 
Are you talking about using aluminum foil in the microwave?

I don't think I want to try foil in my microwave. If fact, my book says, "Never cover food with aluminum foil." Today's newer larger models are made to use foil. My daughter has one with two metal slideout shelves in hers. And even if I had hers, I don't think I would want to cook a meal in one. It just doesn't have that 'long, slow cooked' taste.
 
I don't think I want to try foil in my microwave. If fact, my book says, "Never cover food with aluminum foil." Today's newer larger models are made to use foil. My daughter has one with two metal slideout shelves in hers. And even if I had hers, I don't think I would want to cook a meal in one. It just doesn't have that 'long, slow cooked' taste.

You've confused me now. They make microwave ovens now that you can use aluminum foil in? Wow! I had no idea!

It would be an instant melt-down if it were in mine.

Your daughter's microwave has metal shelves in it? Again, WOW! How in the heck do they do that?
 
Are you talking about using aluminum foil in the microwave?
OK Heres the skinny Tim. I have a micowave cookbook by Barbra Kafka. And learned that so long as you DO NOT completely cover the food with foil it is safe. Foil deflects the microwaves. So long as there is more food uncovered you are fine. If you just cover the top of the food and leave the bottom open the microwaves will ONLY cook from the bottom up.I have been doing my chokes this way for 20 years and haven't killed a microwave or any living beings yet. This is a TNT method.
 
OK Heres the skinny Tim. I have a micowave cookbook by Barbra Kafka. And learned that so long as you DO NOT completely cover the food with foil it is safe. Foil deflects the microwaves. So long as there is more food uncovered you are fine. If you just cover the top of the food and leave the bottom open the microwaves will ONLY cook from the bottom up.I have been doing my chokes this way for 20 years and haven't killed a microwave or any living beings yet. This is a TNT method.
Thanks for that explanation, msmofet. If I put a cup in my microwave that has jsut a tiny bit of gold leaf on it, the gold instantly pops and melts off of the cup. I was thinking that metal foil would do the same thing. I'm going to have to try this method.

That's just amazing to me!

Here's a video of the method I use:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwmPYUmSSj4
 
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You've confused me now. They make microwave ovens now that you can use aluminum foil in? Wow! I had no idea!

It would be an instant melt-down if it were in mine.

Your daughter's microwave has metal shelves in it? Again, WOW! How in the heck do they do that?
I got my first microwave in 1985 and it also had a metal rack so you could cook 2 TV/frozen meals at once. But it didn't come with a standard turn table at that time. So long as the waves have more area NOT foil/metal to work on it will be fine.

Here is something I just found online:

You CAN Use Foil in the Microwave


Yes, foil can be used in your microwave and I’ll bet you’ve already done it without knowing.
I discovered this, and I’m ashamed to admit it, when I actually read the manual for my Microwave. Most people don’t believe this when I tell them, because they’ve always been strictly warned against using any metal in the microwave. I can’t blame them, even fellow blogger, Tinfoil Chef suggests that tin foil not be used in the microwave and there are lots of videos on youtube (like the one below) of foil being used incorrectly in the microwave.


But, there is good reason to use foil in the microwave and most people aren’t doing it.
First, let’s take a step back. Your food is heated by absorbing microwaves, but tin foil does not allow microwaves to pass through it. In other words, tin foil shields your food from microwaves. That can be used to your advantage!
This microwave user manual (pdf) suggests, “Thin areas of meat and poultry cook more quickly than meaty portions. To prevent overcooking, these thin areas can be shielded with strips of aluminum foil. Wooden toothpicks may be used to hold the foil in place.” [Page 25]
The next time you put a frozen mini pizza in the microwave, look closely at the top of the stand that the box turns into. That silver sheet under the pizza actually reflects microwaves so the pizza cooks more evenly with a crispier crust.
If you buy microwavable soups that have a peel back metal lid, there is a rim of metal left over. The side of the carton comforts consumers by saying, “Remaining metal rim is microwavable.” They have to say this, because most people don’t believe you can put metal in the microwave.
Some microwaves come with a metal probe that you can use inside the microwave to monitor the temperature of your food. Some microwaves even have metal shelves inside of them! So, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t use metal in your microwave, the key is to know when and how to use it.
The USDA has guidelines for safely using foil in the microwave here. Before trying it, be sure to check your microwave’s manual for official warning and usage guidelines.

BrokenSecrets.com >> You CAN Use Foil in the Microwave « Broken Secrets
 
You've confused me now. They make microwave ovens now that you can use aluminum foil in? Wow! I had no idea!
It would be an instant melt-down if it were in mine.

Your daughter's microwave has metal shelves in it? Again, WOW! How in the heck do they do that?

I remember when they first came out. The original ones were big and cumbersome and sold to the military and restaurants. Then Tappan came out in the early 60's with a home version. The timer was a turn knob set to needed minutes. I remember looking at one in the store and the cost was well over $1,000.00. Way out of my pocketbook. For the brave who felt they just had to have the latest and greatest in their kitchen, they were terrified of them. Some folks left the room for fear they would be cooked. Some folks brought them back to the store because they tried to run them with the door open. They wanted to see if the food cooked any differently. But as the price dropped over time, they became an indispensable kitchen appliance. The following site should give you a better insight.

Microwave oven - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 

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