Artichokes 101

by Shauna Sever — April 9, 2008

It's high artichoke season, but the prickly beasts can be intimidating. For a long time, I enjoyed them only at restaurants, where other people could do the tricky work of trimming and ridding the green globes of their fuzzy chokes. But after asking for a few tips at the farmer's market (like checking out the thickness of the stems--the thicker the stem, the bigger the heart), I can happily buy and prepare globe artichokes by the half dozen and make a meal out of one paired with a tangy lemony sauce--and so can you.

1. Wash each artichoke under cold running water.

2. Fill a bowl with cold water and add a few tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to keep the trimmed artichokes in as you work. This prevents the cut surfaces of the artichoke from discoloring.

3. Cut the stem off at the base and remove the smallest, toughest leaves from the area around the base.

4. Cut off the top 1/4 of the artichoke and discard the tops. Trim off the prickly tips of each petal--kitchen shears work best for this.

5. Cook the artichoke by steaming or boiling in water for 30-45 minutes, depending on its size. When drained and cooled, remove the choke by pushing your thumbs into the center of the artichoke at the base and press the leaves back. Scoop out just the fuzzy choke with a sturdy spoon or melon baller and discard. If you wish to stuff the artichokes before cooking, simply scoop the choke out of the raw artichoke first.