Kayelle
Chef Extraordinaire
Yep, great minds, Kayelle! I almost always have fresh spinach and use it in so many things. Even if I had fresh basil, I don't think I would have used it, it just didn't seem right in this dish.
Your post really gave me food for thought. I almost always have to squeeze some water out of the artichokes, even after draining, no matter if they are cooked upside down or right side up. I looked back on my dad's method of making artichokes when I was a child and I don't recall them being watery at all. He didn't trim them, or open them up to rinse them first, like I do. But I didn't watch every step he made, I just ate them and loved them. I remember being horrified when he first served them, I couldn't believe I was expected to eat something with thorns that looked like they did.
I get pretty good results with my steamer basket, it keeps them up and out of the water. The only thing with that, is my steamer basket will barely hold two artichokes without trimming them down quite a bit. I think I'll use the steamer basket method again next time, and not open them up as much to clean them.
I'm on a mission now to make unwatery artichokes and think I'll try them different ways until I find the perfect way. If that's possible.
One way that looks sooo good to me, is steaming them about halfway, then cutting them in half vertically and grilling them the rest of the way.
Ahhh Haaa....you use a steamer basket instead of putting them upside down in about 3" of water like I always do stem down. Like your Dad, I don't open them up to wash them either, I guess I figure there's no bugs in there. Actually, I've never noticed an excessive amount of water in the chokes when cooked stem down. I'm going on a hunt for the perfect pan to cook three large chokes as we eat two with dinner and split the third for lunch.
I purchased four small artichokes. The leaves didn't have to be trimmed at all. But I did rinse them and trimmed the stem and about a half inch off the top. Put them into water with lemon juice. Instead of draining off the water, I steamed them right in the lemon water. They were really tender although with a lot of liquid in them. I just put them upside down to drain a bit. The Pirate couldn't wait. He melted some butter with a smashed garlic clove and dug into the first one while the others were draining. He could taste the lemon and liked it. Will do that again the next time. Two of them had no chokes. The other two had very small ones. Easy to remove with a grapefruit spoon. A bonus!
All four of these artichokes were just the right size. And steaming them in the lemon water give them added cooked in flavor that wasn't expected.
I always cook them in salted lemon water with the squeezed lemon halves thrown in for the rind flavor. Glad you enjoyed them Addie.