ARTICHOKE PREP

ARTICHOKE PREP

1. Squeeze half a lemon into a large bowl of water: If you are trimming more than one artichoke, squeeze half a lemon into a large bowl of ice water. You will be dropping trimmed artichokes into this bowl to keep them from browning while you work on others.

3. Start by snapping off the artichoke leaves and tossing them into a large empty bowl. When you get to the yellow petals, just pull them off. Wipe the exposed surface with the other half of the lemon you cut.

5. Take care when you get to the pink center of the artichoke leaves. There are sharp spines on the end of the inner leaves. Pull them out.

7. You will want to slice off the narrowest layer of the heart to get all of the choke without cutting away too much of the delicious heart.

9. Once the fuzzy choke is out, smear the cut lemon all over the exposed heart. This prevents the heart from oxidizing and turning brown. An artichoke is still perfectly edible when oxidized, it just is not particularly attractive.

10. Trim the hard green exterior of the rest of the heart: Cut away from you as you rotate the artichoke, slicing off just the hard green part and leaving the light green underneath. Rub this with lemon.

11. To finish, slice the outside layer off the stem and then coat the whole heart one more time with lemon: Drop into the lemon-water bath and go on to the next one.

9. Once the fuzzy choke is out, smear the cut lemon all over the exposed heart. This prevents the heart from oxidizing and turning brown. An artichoke is still perfectly edible when oxidized, it just is not particularly attractive.

10. Trim the hard green exterior of the rest of the heart: Cut away from you as you rotate the artichoke, slicing off just the hard green part and leaving the light green underneath. Rub this with lemon.

11. To finish, slice the outside layer off the stem and then coat the whole heart one more time with lemon: Drop into the lemon-water bath and go on to the next one.

THE YUMMY PART

1. In a pot of water, add the juice of the 1 lemon, New Orleans seasoning, onion, thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Add the artichokes. Cover with a towel. This will keep the artichokes submerged in the water. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size, or until the artichokes are tender.

side note- take out right before they are ready, so they remain firm.

2. Heat on low, add olive oil and melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Place artichokes into the skillet, cut sides down, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until lightly seared.

3. Toss with parsley.

9. Once the fuzzy choke is out, smear the cut lemon all over the exposed heart. This prevents the heart from oxidizing and turning brown. An artichoke is still perfectly edible when oxidized, it just is not particularly attractive.

10. Trim the hard green exterior of the rest of the heart: Cut away from you as you rotate the artichoke, slicing off just the hard green part and leaving the light green underneath. Rub this with lemon.

11. To finish, slice the outside layer off the stem and then coat the whole heart one more time with lemon: Drop into the lemon-water bath and go on to the next one.

THE YUMMY PART

1. In a pot of water, add the juice of the 1 lemon, New Orleans seasoning, onion, thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Add the artichokes. Cover with a towel. This will keep the artichokes submerged in the water. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size, or until the artichokes are tender.

side note- take out right before they are ready, so they remain firm.

2. Heat on low, add olive oil and melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Place artichokes into the skillet, cut sides down, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until lightly seared.

3. Toss with parsley.

9. Once the fuzzy choke is out, smear the cut lemon all over the exposed heart. This prevents the heart from oxidizing and turning brown. An artichoke is still perfectly edible when oxidized, it just is not particularly attractive.

10. Trim the hard green exterior of the rest of the heart: Cut away from you as you rotate the artichoke, slicing off just the hard green part and leaving the light green underneath. Rub this with lemon.

11. To finish, slice the outside layer off the stem and then coat the whole heart one more time with lemon: Drop into the lemon-water bath and go on to the next one.

THE YUMMY PART

1. In a pot of water, add the juice of the 1 lemon, New Orleans seasoning, onion, thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Add the artichokes. Cover with a towel. This will keep the artichokes submerged in the water. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the size, or until the artichokes are tender.

side note- take out right before they are ready, so they remain firm.

2. Heat on low, add olive oil and melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Place artichokes into the skillet, cut sides down, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until lightly seared.

3. Toss with parsley.