HELP: How to cook an artichoke from scratch!!

[nicolaschneiderman]

Artichokes are one of my favourite foods but i have only eaten them in restaurants because when i attempt to cook them at home- its always a disaster! Please can someone who has cooked artichokes explain to me how you do it! Any help out there??

 

[Mad Cook]

Artichokes are one of my favourite foods but i have only eaten them in restaurants because when i attempt to cook them at home- its always a disaster! Please can someone who has cooked artichokes explain to me how you do it! Any help out there??

Globe, jerusalem or chinese? May I suggest Jane Grigson's "Vegetable Book"?

 

[Addie]

What do you think you are doing wrong? And why are they a disaster? We need a little more information.

I can tell you right now that after preparing them, you need to put them in a large kettle or pot and steam them till you can easily pull out one leaf without tugging on it. After that all possibilities are possible.

 

[Oldvine]

I use the same technique my dad used when he would rescue a crate that fell off the top of his truck while hauling in a load of artichokes from the Delta to the packing shed. (It's amazing how many crates fell off his truck). Trim the stump, pull off the lower leaves until you get to the big ones, cut off the top so you can see the "choke". If you can see stickers above the choke, dig them out, snip off any spines from the leaves with scissors, give them a goo wash and put them in a big pot and boil them until the heart can be pierced and the leaves pull off easily. Make your favorite dipping sauce, get a plate for discards and dig in.

 

[Addie]

I use the same technique my dad used when he would rescue a crate that fell off the top of his truck while hauling in a load of artichokes from the Delta to the packing shed. (It's amazing how many crates fell off his truck). Trim the stump, pull off the lower leaves until you get to the big ones, cut off the top so you can see the "choke". If you can see stickers above the choke, dig them out, snip off any spines from the leaves with scissors, give them a good wash and put them in a big pot and boil them until the heart can be pierced and the leaves pull off easily. Make your favorite dipping sauce, get a plate for discards and dig in.

I know that feeling. Like when the army decided to use my home for storing food. Taking it out to the guys on maneuvers made the load too heavy and wasted a lot of gas. They were very grateful that I was willing to use it up rather than waste it. Most of my neighbors were soldiers and they did get their share after I did all the cooking. I am sure the high command would have sent me a thank you note if he had the time.

 

[acerbicacid]

I just trim them, cutting off the stem and removing the small leaves at the bottom then put them in a pan of boiling water and simmer for about 3/4 of an hour or until the leaves pull out easily. Then I just dip the leaves in melted butter until I get to the choke, which I remove, then eat the the artichoke bottom with the rest of the butter.

I don't usually do them for anyone else as I find them really fiddly to prepare in the restaurant way. BBC - Food - Techniques : Preparing artichoke hearts

 

[jennyema]

The stem is one of the best parts! Don't throw it away!

Peel it and cook it!

 

[GrillingFool]

I melt butter, add garlic, lemon pepper, a bit of lemon juice and more garlic
for the dipping sauce.
Expect 20 to 30 minutes of steaming for big ones.

 

[CatPat]

This is all we do of these artichokes.

We get the whole one, and slice off the stem so it is very close to the plant. We then take these bottom leaves out until this looks like it starts for the meat.

Steam these into a double boiler until the fork inserted into the stem comes in and out easily with no resistance.

We pull off the leaves of this, and put these into a sauce of melted butter, cracked black pepper and dip the meat portion of the leaves into this.

When the artichoke is coming down to the inedible portion before the heart of it, scrape out the inedible portion of this and throw this away.

Cut the parts of the tender hearts into the butter mixture and you will enjoy eating this!

Your friend,
~Cat

 

[acerbicacid]

The stem is one of the best parts! Don't throw it away!

Peel it and cook it!

The ones I have tried to eat have been very fibrous, wonder if it is due to the age of the artichoke?

 

[CatPat]

The stem of this is very stringy. Always cut the stem as close to possible to the base of it.

I do not understand this peel it and cook it. I do not mean to be rude, but no. With the stem you must cut very close to the leaves. Then you put off the tough leaves of the close bottom of the stem and if there is room for it, cut the stem much closer.

Your friend,
~Cat

 

[Addie]

The ones I have tried to eat have been very fibrous, wonder if it is due to the age of the artichoke?

When you buy your artichokes make sure the globe is closed tightly at the top. Old ones will start to open. Be suspicious of those that are too cheap. they are most likely old and need to be sold quickly. And you need to peel the stem with a veggie peeler. Those fibers are on the outside. The inside is very tender and has lots of flavor.

 

[acerbicacid]

Hi Addie, thank you - it is only the stem I have found fibrous but I read they were the best bit. I just didn't understand how the artichoke stems I had tried are so stringy and fibrous, I always cut them off. I wondered if those really tiny baby ones had a stem that could be eaten. I've since googled and even those seem to have it cut off too.

I really love them so maybe I should buy a couple before they are out of season in the U.K. Do they ever go out of season in the U.S.A.? I would imagine that as you are such a big country they are always in season somewhere.

That is one of the things I really like about D.C. I have learned so much about your vast country from you all.

 

[Addie]

When they are not growing here, we import them. We import food from all over the world. You do have to cut off the stems if you want them to sit flat in the pot while you are steaming or boiling them. Peel them with a peeler, then if they are thick, cut them in half or even quarters and toss them in the pot with the 'chokes. Even the baby ones have a stem. A small one.

 

[jennyema]

The stem of this is very stringy. Always cut the stem as close to possible to the base of it.

I do not understand this peel it and cook it. I do not mean to be rude, but no. With the stem you must cut very close to the leaves. Then you put off the tough leaves of the close bottom of the stem and if there is room for it, cut the stem much closer.

Your friend,
~Cat

Been eating them for 30 years.

Not stringy. Very tender and yummy like the heart ... Because its attached to the heart! You just need to trim it and peel it.

Because its tender you also don't need to cook it for long.

 

[Mad Cook]

When you buy your artichokes make sure the globe is closed tightly at the top. Old ones will start to open. Be suspicious of those that are too cheap. they are most likely old and need to be sold quickly. And you need to peel the stem with a veggie peeler. Those fibers are on the outside. The inside is very tender and has lots of flavor.

Good advice, Addie.

 

[CatPat]

Good advice, Addie.

Yes, she is right!

I am going to try peeling the stem the next time I cook these. I did not think of this.

Your friend,
~Cat