The Art of the Artichoke

Photo courtesy of pinchmysalt.com

I grew up eating artichokes. Some people find them to be foreign...that is, the entire artichoke. Not your artichoke/spinach dip or artichoke hearts, all of which are typically found pre-made if you will. Those are all good of course, but there is something much more appealing about the entire artichoke itself. They are super delicious (if in season) and can be cooked in a variety of ways.

I have often been asked when eating an artichoke, "How do you eat that thing?, what is that? What do you do with this leaf part? Do you eat the whole leaf?" My answer is always watch and try for yourself! I assume many people are disinterested in artichokes simply for that reason; you have no idea how to eat one! The best part of the artichoke is the heart. So you must pack some patience with you before you get to the center. The reward however, is well worth the 'hard work' to get there.

The easiest way to cook an artichoke is by boiling it in hot water for 15-20 minutes. To check if it is fully cooked, carefully grab hold of one of the leaves and pull. If the leaf comes off easily, you've got a dunner! If not, keep her cookin'. While the artichoke is a cookin' go ahead and melt some butter in the microwave to be used for dipping. Don't get too crazy now, and don't burn the butter, it won't make your kitchen smell very good. Once the artichoke is done, let it cool for 5 minutes or so. Once cool, you can begin pulling the outer leaves off and dipping the tip of the artichoke in the butter. Be careful of the sharp tips! Pretend you are scraping the icing off of an oreo and use your teeth to bite down and pull the leaf away from you. You can use a separate bowl or plate to discard the leaves after you eat the meatier part. The closer in you get, you will begin to see the leaves appear purple and thin with no flavor or 'meatiness' to them. These can be tossed. Once you get down to the small leaves and hairy center, you want to grab your knife to shave away all that hair and you will find the heart underneath. Best dipped in butter or any sauce of your choosing! As a side note, artichokes can be eaten cold or hot, but I think hot is the best choice!

I also recommend grilling an artichoke. I have often found these on the menu under appetizers at many good restaurants. It is a very yummy appetizer.

Artichokes are extremely low in calories and make a great snack. One large artichoke is only 25 calories but the tricky part can be keeping the sauce you use to flavor or dip the artichoke in low in fat. Artichokes contain no fat, are a good source of vitamin C, magnesium, dietary fiber and complex b vitamins.

Happy Artichoking! But don't choke on the hair!