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Basic Cooked Artichokes

Source of Recipe


From "The Good Home Cookbook" by Richard Perry



List of Ingredients



• 1 to 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  
• 4 large artichokes
  
• ½ medium lemon
  
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
  
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  






Instructions



1. Fill a large bowl with water and add 1 tablespoon vinegar per quart of water.
   
   
2. Cut each artichoke stem just above the small leaves. If the stem is not too woody, it can also be peeled and cooked. Snap off or cut off the the tough dark outer leaves of the artichoke. Stop at the point where the leaves begin to turn yellow, indicating tenderness.
   
   
3. Cut off the top of each artichoke with a serrated knife, about ½ inch from the tip. Rub the cut surfaces with lemon. Use scissors to trim the pointed ends of the outer leaves. Place the artichokes in the acidified water until you are ready to cook; this preserves their color.
   
   
4. Bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Place the artichokes on a rack above the boiling water, cover, and steam for 25 to 45 minutes, depending on size, or until a petal near the center pulls out easily.
   
   
5. Combine the melted butter and lemon juice and divide the mixture among four small bowls. Serve the artichokes hot with the lemon butter on the side.
   
   Serves 4
   
   






Final Comments


• Tip: To eat an artichoke, break off one outside leaf with your fingers, dip it in sauce (usually melted butter), and scrape off the fleshy bottom part of the leaf by pulling it through your clenched teeth. Discard and pull off the next leaf. When you get to the fuzzy choke in the center, use a spoon to scrape away the fuzzy fibers or cut around and under it with a sharp knife. Eat the bottom and stem, again, dipping them into the sauce.