How to Prepare, Cook and Eat an Artichoke

Prepare your artichokes properly for a delicious appetizer.

Artichokes are high in antioxidants that cleanse your liver and gallbladder. They are also suitable for people with diabetes and can actually help restore balance to your glucose levels. With all their health benefits, you may be wondering how to incorporate these strange-looking members of the thistle family into your diet. While artichokes do take some time to prepare and eat, their flavor and healthy properties make the prep time worthwhile.

Things You'll Need

• Knife
• Kitchen shears
• Lemon
• Stainless steel saucepan

Instructions

1. Use kitchen shears to cut off the sharp tips of the artichoke's leaves. Use your knife to cut off the top of the artichoke. Next, use your knife to slice off the stem so the bottom of the artichoke is flat.

2. Pour about 1 inch of water into saucepan. Add a dash of salt and the juice of half a lemon to the water. Turn element on high and bring water to a boil.

3. Place artichoke in water on the flat side you made by cutting off the stem. Turn element to medium-low. Cover saucepan and steam the artichoke until the bottom can be easily pierced with a fork, about 35 to 40 minutes.

4. Remove the artichoke from the saucepan and drain upside down.

5. Serve your artichokes with lemon juice and melted butter, a vinaigrette or Hollandaise sauce.

6. Pull off a single leaf at a time to eat your artichoke. Dip the fleshy lower part of the leaf in sauce or butter and then pull the leaf through your teeth. Once you've eaten the flesh from all the leaves, cut the artichoke heart in half and use a knife to pare off the hairs. Dip the artichoke heart in sauce or butter and enjoy.

Tips & Warnings

• Submerge artichokes in water to remove dirt from between leaves.

• Sprinkle leaves with lemon to prevent browning.

References

• Good Housekeeping: Perfect Artichokes
• Epicurious: What to Cook Now: Artichokes
• The New York Times: In the Humble Artichoke, a Lesson in Patience
• 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet!: 6 Health Benefits of Artichokes