urmaniac13
Executive Chef
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2005
- Messages
- 4,764
We have been having difficulties cooking artichokes just right, or wonder just how much of the whole head can be "edible", and I wonder if anyone has a good suggestion....
We usually take off the few outer layers that seem utterly "invincible", then cut off the thorny part and cook in a pressure cooker with evoo, white wine, garlic, flat leaved parsley and salt (traditional artichoke roman style).
We have been continuously extending the cooking time, the last time for almost an hour (which is a LOT with a pressure cooker), but the most of the leaves remain very, very tough, all we can do with them is to scrape off the soft "meaty" inside from each leaves for eating, and discard the tough outside. From what I heard if they are cooked enough the whole leaves should be edible, but this getting to seem impossible, as if we cooked too much longer we are afraid the best part, the heart may melt away.
If we are to eliminate all the tough leaves barely more than the heart will remain, and as there are delicious "inner layer" sticking to the tough leaves, to eliminate all the leaves seems like such a pity.
Is there a trick to soften these leaves, or what we are doing (scraping off the inside from each leaves) is the best that can be done? Any input will be appreciated!!
We usually take off the few outer layers that seem utterly "invincible", then cut off the thorny part and cook in a pressure cooker with evoo, white wine, garlic, flat leaved parsley and salt (traditional artichoke roman style).
We have been continuously extending the cooking time, the last time for almost an hour (which is a LOT with a pressure cooker), but the most of the leaves remain very, very tough, all we can do with them is to scrape off the soft "meaty" inside from each leaves for eating, and discard the tough outside. From what I heard if they are cooked enough the whole leaves should be edible, but this getting to seem impossible, as if we cooked too much longer we are afraid the best part, the heart may melt away.
If we are to eliminate all the tough leaves barely more than the heart will remain, and as there are delicious "inner layer" sticking to the tough leaves, to eliminate all the leaves seems like such a pity.
Is there a trick to soften these leaves, or what we are doing (scraping off the inside from each leaves) is the best that can be done? Any input will be appreciated!!