Artichokes?:hide:

PanchoHambre

PanchoHambre

New member
I LOVE artichokes - except i have no idea how to use them - always a big part of family holiday meals but not a general part of the menu I am lost - canned/jarred hearts are easy to use but the whole bud I am left lost.

Looked up recipes on line, some boil, some sald and soak some remove the "prickly choke" some don't.

I love the flavor of articokes and enjoy using the "hearts" usually marinated in dishes but have always been a bit confused with the stuffed chokes tabled at family events - the stuffing is always yummy - the pedals just get sucked?

How do i use this best? Soak? Boil than stuff? how do I get the tough parts out"

Tonight I trimmed stuffed (rice tuna capers etc) and put in the oven in a baking dish with water 3/4 way up based on compiling recipes etc. It was tasty but not perfect.

I need a method (s) how to treat this tasty confusing veg - not a recipe so much - familiar but mysterious.
 
Being from Calif., artichokes were a normal vegetable around our house. A couple times a week was pretty normal.
My mom and I, and I still do today, steam them.
Prep is easy. Cut the stem off close to the bottom as flat and level as you can. I also cut the top 1/4 off as well.
I sprinkle salt down into the cut off top then stand them up in a pot with a little water in it. Put a lid on it and let 'em steam for at least 30-45 minutes.

Now comes the fun in eating them. Place it on a plate and literally spread the leaves outward like a blooming flower. This helps to cool while you eat each leaf's meaty part dipped in melted butter.
When you finely get to the heart, scrape out the newer fuzzy leaves and the little tiny hairs, cut into 6 sections and toss them into the remaining butter and enjoy.

We've always eaten them as an additional vegetable.
Some folks will season the butter to taste. Some like Mayo or Miracle Whip. I like plain butter.
It's a delight for a king, IMO.
 
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thats a nice simple way - I will definitely give it a go

when you want to use chokes in something how do you make sure to get the tender parts and not the untender parts

my stuffed chokes did turn out tasty but messy and unfit for polite company as you had to eat off tender parts and leave untender

do i just have to trim better?
 
Peeps Stuffed Artichokes

stuffed-artichokes-6-1-10-3.jpg
 
Chokes are a finger food. We always put a large platter in the middle of the table to toss the 'trash' in. It's unavoidable. Since you only eat the meaty end of each leaf, you have to toss the rest.
Yes. they are messy but well worth it in taste by ten fold. :-)
 
thegrindre said:
Being from Calif., artichokes were a normal vegetable around our house. A couple times a week was pretty normal.
My mom and I, and I still do today, steam them.
Prep is easy. Cut the stem off close to the bottom as flat and level as you can. I also cut the top 1/4 off as well.
I sprinkle salt down into the cut off top then stand them up in a pot with a little water in it. Put a lid on it and let 'em steam for at least 30-45 minutes.

Now comes the fun in eating them. Place it on a plate and literally spread the leaves outward like a blooming flower. This helps to cool while you eat each leaf's meaty part dipped in melted butter.
When you finely get to the heart, scrape out the newer fuzzy leaves and the little tiny hairs, cut into 6 sections and toss them into the remaining butter and enjoy.

We've always eaten them as an additional vegetable.
Some folks will season the butter to taste. Some like Mayo or Miracle Whip. I like plain butter.
It's a delight for a king, IMO.
Click to expand...

Excellent post, Rick!


This is the way I do them, too, except I put a smashed clove of garlic in each small custard cup, along with a knob of butter and a couple of squeezes of lemon. Then I nuke the cups to melt the butter. Ready for dipping!

Also, I peel the stem after I cut it off, to expose the light green flesh. Steam that along with the artichokes. You can stick a fork in the stem and if that's tender, the artichokes will be done, too. The soft stem is good eating, too, as it's a continuation of the heart.


Lee
 
I love artichokes and have some plants in my garden. I usually cut them in half, remove the choke, then put them in a pan with water about an inch deep. Cover and simmer until tender. I dip mine in melted butter. Sometimes I'll add a little garlic and parmesan cheese. As Qsis said, they really are a finger food until you get to the bottom.

The Italians frequently stuff them. To do that you open the artichoke and remove the choke with a serrated spoon. The center is then stuffed along with each leaf. I've done that with buttered bread crumbs and garlic. I'm sure that syou can find recipes for this on the internet if not here.
 
I've heard the stem is good, too, but I've never been able to get around it. It's always too tough and bitter for my taste.
Maybe there is a recipe for the stem? I don't know...
 
thegrindre said:
I've heard the stem is good, too, but I've never been able to get around it. It's always too tough and bitter for my taste.
Maybe there is a recipe for the stem? I don't know...
Click to expand...

Take a look at this image, Rick.

You have to peel the tough outer layer of the stem, to get to the light green, tender part.

Lee
 

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lee's got this 1- i concur. peel. a knife/peeler makes the stem tender.
hollandaise would be my chosen sauce fer the leafy aspect.
 
I forgot to mention that I've also cooked them in the microwave at work. I wrapped it in wet paper towels and nuked it. I wet the towels again as needed until it was done. At home I've put them into a corning ware with water nuked until tender.
 
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