It’s officially Spring, and that means that new crops of delicious fruits and vegetables are finally in season – asparagus, apricots, beets, carrots, chard, and one of our personal favorites – artichokes. Artichokes actually have two crops throughout the year. The larger, main crop happens in Spring, with a smaller secondary crop in the Fall. But Springtime is really when you want to dig in, as these will have larger thistles and tighter, more compact leaves
Artichokes are chock full of nutritional and health benefits. They’re low in calories and fat, and high in folic acid, Vitamin K, Potassium, Calcium, and Iron. The downside is that they can be a little bit of a puzzler when it comes to cooking and eating them. They’re large, have strong, thick petals with pointed ends, and ultimately can look pretty intimidating.
But that’s still no reason to completely avoid artichokes at the supermarket. So, the next time you see artichokes for sale at your local grocery, pick a few up and follow our easy tutorial on how to cook artichokes.
How to Cook Artichokes: The Prep Work
Since artichokes are slightly more complicated vegetables to cook given their appearance, there are a few things you should do before dumping them into a pot of boiling water or throwing them on the grill. Start by rinsing them in cold water to remove any dirt from the outside. Trim the stem at the bottom of the artichoke, but be careful not to cut the entire stem off – the stems are edible and quite tasty!
There may be some rougher leaves at the bottom, near the stem. You can peel those off and throw them away before cooking. Next, chop off the tip of the artichoke at the top to get rid of the pointed leaves. This will help the artichoke cook better.
And although not necessary, a lot of people will soak their artichokes in cold water with a few slices of lemon to prevent the artichokes from becoming discolored once they’re cooked – otherwise they’ll lose their green color.
How to Boil Artichokes
Heat a large pot of water to boil, and add a dash of salt for taste. Once the water is boiling, add artichokes and boil for 30-45 minutes. Once finished, drain them by holding them stem side up, and then serve. To eat, peel off leaves and eat plain or with a sauce.
How to Steam Artichokes
Boil water in a large pot and use a steaming basket to steam artichokes. Once water is boiling, add artichokes to the basket and let them steam for 20 minutes. You’ll be able to tell when the artichokes are done when you can stick a knife into the base of the artichoke and remove it with ease. Season lightly with salt and lemon, if desired.
How to Grill Artichokes
Grilling artichokes is pretty straightforward and easy, and can add a little bit of smoky flavor to your artichokes. Start by boiling them first using the directions above. While they’re boiling, preheat the grill to medium heat. Once the artichokes are cooked, slice them in half so that they can lay flat on the grill. Throw away the “choke” which is the part inside of the artichoke just above the heart, which looks like it has tiny hairs all over it. This is inedible, so may as well not grill it. Before throwing the artichokes on the grill, brush with olive oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper. Grill for a few minutes on each side or until tender.
Now that you’re a pro at handling artichokes, you can try this more inventive recipe that’s part of our delicious Easter dinner menu: Buttery Peas and Asparagus in Artichoke Cups!
How do you like to cook your artichokes? Do you have a go-to sauce for dipping the leaves? Let us know in the comments!
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