Cooking fresh artichokes is not at all difficult and serving them adds a certain quirky elegance to a meal. There's also the fun factor of plucking the leaves with your fingers and scraping off the edible bit at the bottom edge with your teeth. Steaming whole artichokes brings out their flavor and rich color without adding calories or fat. Cooking an artichoke doesn't take very long, making them an efficient choice when you need something different on a busy night.
Step 1
Rinse your artichoke well and set it upside down in a colander to drain.
Step 2
Remove the outermost layer of leaves near the base. Cut the stem off so the artichoke will sit flat and steady.
Step 3
Clip the points off all of the leaves. This makes the artichoke look nice, but it also removes the tiny thorns on the ends of the leaves, making it much more pleasant to eat.
Step 4
Place a steamer basket into a pot and add enough water to barely reach the bottom of the steamer basket.
Step 5
Place the artichoke upside down in the steamer basket. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over it and sprinkle it with Herbs de Provence or your favorite seasoning.
Step 6
Bring the water to a boil. Cover the pot and turn the heat down to medium so the water simmers. Let the artichoke steam for 30 minutes or until the leaves come off easily. Take the artichoke out of the pot with tongs, turn it right side up and serve.
Tips and Warnings
- Serve low-fat Hollandaise sauce to dip the artichoke leaves in.
- Never eat an artichoke raw.
Things You'll Need
- Colander
- Knife
- Shears
- Steamer basket
- Pot with lid
- Water
- Lemon juice
- Herbs de Provence
- Tongs
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