Artichoke Tips

[edit] Tips

1. The heart of the artichoke is considered to be the best part to eat.
2. Artichoke leaves are often removed and eaten one at a time, sometimes dipped in butter, mayonnaise, aioli or other sauces.
3. Covered artichokes can turn brown due to the acids and chlorophyll oxidation.

[edit] Techniques

• Prepare artichokes for cooking by removing all but 1/4 inch or so of the stem, and (optionally) cutting away about a quarter of each scale with scissors. This removes the thorns that can interfere with handling the leaves when eating.
• Boil or steam trimmed artichokes until tender, about 15 to 45 minutes. If boiling, salt can be added to the water, if desired. It may be preferable not to cover the pot while the artichokes are being boiled so that the acids will boil out into the air.