How to Cook Artichokes The Classic French Way
French artichoke magic for tender, aromatic, perfectly cooked artichokes, the French way! Save this for your next dinner party. My go-to method for cooking whole artichokes. Elegant, easy, and so delicious!
Equipment
- Large pot with lid
- Sharp knife
- Kitchen scissors (optional, for trimming leaf tips)
- Tongs
- Cutting board
- Small bowl for lemon water
Ingredients
- 4 large fresh artichokes 1 for each person
- 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves lightly crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: a drizzle of olive oil or a knob of butter for serving
Instructions
How To Prepare Artichokes
- Remove the stem you can bend it at the base until it snaps off completely.
- Now break off any little leaves at the base of the artichoke.
- Trim the base with a sharp knife to enable it to stand upright.
- Trim the points from the other leaves with a scissors.
- Wash very well under running water.
- Place the artichokes in a bowl of cold water in which you have added one tablespoon of vinegar. This will prevent the artichokes from discoloring ( 1 tablespoon to 4 pints/8 cups of water)
- OR, rub the bottom and all over with lemon to preserve the color.
How To Cook Artichokes
- You will need a large pan of boiling salted water.
- Place the artichokes in the water and cook without a lid on for about 40 minutes - although a really large one can take up to an hour.
- You will know when they are ready as the leaves will pull out easily and the bottoms are nice and tender when you test them with a knife.
- Take them out immediately and drain upside down in a colander.
How To Eat Steamed Artichokes
- If you have followed the instructions above, they are now ready to eat if you want them hot.
- Simply pull off one of the leaves and hold the tip in your fingers, dip the bottom in either melted butter or a sauce you have chosen to have with them such as hollandaise sauce.
- Now, scrape off the gorgeous tender flesh between your teeth and savor the flavor and freshness of the artichoke.
- When you come to the heart - you eat this with a knife and fork after discarding the hairy center bit or the choke. You don't have to remove the choke before serving but it looks better if you do.
- If you want to do this, simply open up the leaves until you can reach the center and pull out the center cone in one piece. Scrape off the choke (the hairy growth) so that you expose the tender fleshy heart.
- Sprinkle the heart with salt and pepper and put the cone of leaves upside down in the hollow.
- For serving your artichokes hot, you can have sauces such as hollandaise sauce easy, lemon sauce, or simply melted butter.
- To serve them cold, use a dressing such as vinaigrette, a mustard dressing, or simply an easy mayonnaise recipe.
Notes
- Always cook artichokes in well-salted water; they absorb flavor like sponges.
- Don't rush the simmering; slow cooking = tender leaves.
- If serving chilled, drain thoroughly so they don't become watery.
- For extra flavor, add a splash of white wine to the cooking water.
- Rubbing the leaves with lemon is a bonus. It's the difference between elegant and oxidized.
- Save the stems! Peel them and cook alongside the globes; they're delicious.
Nutrition
Calories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 5gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 166mgPotassium: 519mgFiber: 8gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 199IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 68mgIron: 2mg
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