Basic Boiled Artichokes
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Artichokes
- Lemon
Preparation
- Step 1
Select a kettle or pot large enough to hold all the artichokes you are cooking. Half fill it with water and set it over high heat to boil. Meanwhile, trim the artichokes.
- Step 2
Rinse the artichokes, slice the stem off flush with the base so the artichokes will stand level. Rub the cut areas with lemon. Slice off the top inch of each artichoke and rub the cut area with lemon. Using kitchen shears snip off the top half inch of each leaf. Place the artichokes base side down in the boiling water, lower heat to simmer and weight the tops of the artichokes with a dish or pot lid that fits into the pot to keep the artichokes submerged.
- Step 3
Simmer the artichokes until the base can easily be pierced with a knife point, 20 to 40 minutes. Remove the artichokes from the water and turn upside-down in a collander to drain.
Private Notes
Comments
DON'T CUT THE STEM OFF! That is STUPID, the stem is an extension of the wonderful heart of the choke.
Microwave: put enough hot tap water in a glass bowl to submerge 3 artichokes & salt heavily. Trim as in Step 2, pull leaves open, submerge in salty water & swish. This is to clean out bugs - esp. good for organic. Drain, put back in bowl upside-down (crucial for getting the heart cooked through). Squeeze half a lemon over bottoms. Cover with plastic wrap & vent. Nuke on high until the bottom is tender to a fork (15 min?). Let cool rightside-up to serving temp.
I cut the stems off so the artichokes will sit upright but I cook them along with the artichokes because they are almost as good as the hearts; sometimes a little stringy but still delicious.
I don't see anything about. removing the fuzzy choke in the middle of the artichoke. Should you remove it before cooking, after cooking or not at all?
This is the only way to cook artichokes: fully immersed; otherwise, they're dry and tasteless. I like to pour a little olive oil in the water and add a few garlic cloves.
I cut the stems off so the artichokes will sit upright but I cook them along with the artichokes because they are almost as good as the hearts; sometimes a little stringy but still delicious.