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STEAM
- BOIL - MICROWAVE
| 1. |
Wash artichokes under
cold running water. |
| 2. |
Pull off lower petals
which are small or discolored. |
| 3. |
Cut stems close to base.
( Use stainless knives to prevent discoloration. ) |
| 4. |
Cut off top quarter and
tips of petals, if desired. ( Generally, some people like the look
of clipped petals, but it really isn't necessary to remove the thorns.
They soften with cooking and pose no threat to diners. ) |
| 5. |
Plunge into acidified
water to preserve color. ( One tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice
per quart of water. ) |
| 6. |
Optional: The
trimmed artichoke stems are edible. Cut brown end about 1/2-inch.
Peel fibrous outer layer to reach tender green of stem. Stem may
be steamed whole with the artichoke. Cut into rounds or julienne
for salads or pastas. |
STUFFED ARTICHOKE, UNCOOKED
| 7. |
Follow steps 1 through
6. Give cut side a "rap" on the counter top. Gently spread petals
until central cone is reached. |
| 8. |
Pull out central purple
or thorny center leaves. |
| 9. |
With a spoon, scrape
out any remaining purple and fuzz. |
| 10. |
Stuff center and outer
petals with mixture prior to cooking. |
STUFFED ARTICHOKE,
COOKED
| 11. |
Gently spread leaves
until center cone is reached. Pull out. |
| 12. |
With a spoon, scrape
out any purple-tipped leaves and fuzz. |
| 13. |
Stuff center cavity with
favorite mixture. |
(COMPLETELY EDIBLE)
BABY ARTICHOKES
While the tiniest of artichokes can be steamed whole
and eaten like the larger sizes, the versatility of the "babies" shine
when they are prepped to be completely edible.
| 14. |
Bend back outer petals,
snapping them off at the base. |
| 15. |
Continue snapping off
petals until the leaves are half green (at the top) and half yellow. |
| 16. |
Using a stainless steel
knife, to minimize discoloration, cut the top cone of the leaves
at the point where the yellow meets the green. (Green is fibrous.) |
| 17. |
Cut the stem level with
the base and trim any remaining green from the base of the artichoke.
(Just like peeling the skin from an apple.) |
| 18. |
Plunge into acidified
water. |
| 19. |
Steam whole; for stir-fry
or sauté, cut in half or quarter horizontally. If there are
purple or pink leaves, cut them out. (Those leaves will be tough.)
If the interior is white, the entire artichoke is edible. Place
in acidulated water to minimize browning while prepping. |
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COOKING ARTICHOKES
BOIL
Stand prepared artichoke in deep saucepan or pot with
3 inches boiling water. (If desired, oil, lemon juice and seasonings
can be added to cooking water.) Cover and boil gently 25 to 40
minutes, depending on size, or until petal near the center pulls
out easily. Stand artichoke upside down on a rack to drain,
STEAM
Place prepared artichoke on a rack above an inch or
two of boiling water. Cover and steam 25 to 45 minutes, depending
on size, or until a petal near the center pulls out easily.
MICROWAVE (700 watt oven)
For one: Set one medium sized prepared artichoke upside
down in a small glass bowl (a 2 cup measure will do) with ¼ cup
water, ½ teaspoon each lemon juice and oil. Cover with plastic
wrap. Cook on high 6 to 7 minutes. Let stand covered 5 minutes
after cooking.
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