ARTICHOKES ARE REALLY EDIBLE?

Artichokes are a wonderful food. I did not discover them until later in life, but they have fabulous flavor and are easy to prepare for a simple appetizer.

Preparation is the key with an artichoke. You want to make sure when you get it home that you rinse it thoroughly under cool water to remove any debris. Dry off the artichoke and take a look at the stem. You will want to trim the stem down to no more than 1 inch. After you have trimmed the stem, take your vegetable peeler or paring knife and peel off the top layer of skin from the stem.

Next, you will place the artichoke onto a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut about ¼ off the top of the artichoke. This will give the artichoke a “flat top” appearance. Take a pair of kitchen shears and trim about ¼ inch off the remaining leaves, removing all of the “prickly” ends. Using the juice of 1 lemon, thoroughly coat every cut area; this will help prevent the artichoke from discoloring. Use your fingers to gently pull the leaves apart to give it a “flowery” appearance.

In a large pot, bring about 2 cups of water to a boil. Place the artichoke(s) in the boiling water and cover with a lid. Reduce your heat to a simmer and cook for 30-50 (depending on size) minutes until the leaves pull away easily. To test, firmly grasp a leaf and pull gently, do not yank.

While the artichoke is cooking, prepare a quick dipping sauce by combining ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 large garlic clove (minced) and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a bowl. Mix well, cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve your artichoke.

Once the artichoke has cooked to your satisfaction, remove from the water and place upside down on a few paper towels to drain well.

Artichokes can be served warm or cold, although cold is preferred. To eat, simply remove a leaf by the tip, dip it in your sauce and scrape the “meat” from the underside of the leaf with your teeth. Discard the tip.

Once you have eaten all of the leaves, you will find some of the young leaves inside with some fur. Using a spoon, gently remove the fur and the undeveloped leaves. This will leave you with the heart and stem. Simply cut up and enjoy!