SIMPLY DELICIOUS ARTICHOKES

Apr 6

If you have never cooked fresh artichokes, you should definitely give it a try. They really are worth the effort and taste so delicious that my kids always ask me to make them as soon as they spot them at the supermarket. Artichokes are a bit on the pricy side and not an optimal dish for a regular school night. As a family, we really enjoy adding some special dishes to our weekends whenever we have the time and this dish is counted among them. The cooking process is not complicated at all. All you need is a sharp knife and a large pot. The eating process takes some time and it’s nice to see how everybody is involved sitting around the table dipping the leaves into the butter sauce and scraping the delicious meat off the lower ends of the leaves. It does get a bit messy, but that’s part of the fun. The heart of the plant is the best part and kids may need their parents help to remove the fuzzy part above. If you think this is not a filling meal, you’re right - it’s meant to be an appetizer, but actually an incredibly healthy one.
On top of the incomparable deliciousness, artichokes are packed with nutrients and have been used for centuries for its medicinal properties. They are said to help lower blood pressure, reduce blood sugar, ease irritable bowl syndrome, improve liver health, and have anti-carcinogenic effects, just to give some examples of the many researched benefits of this plant.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS
4 large artichokes
2 lemons plus extra slices
12 cups water
2 tsp sea salt

8 tbsp butter for a vegan option use vegan butter replacement or vegetable oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
Rinse the artichokes. Use a sharp kitchen knife to remove the stem, making sure that the artichoke can be placed evenly on a plate. Cut off the tips of the leaves using kitchen scissors. Juice the two lemons.

Add the water, salt, lemon slices, and lemon juice to a large cooking pot. Place the artichokes upright in the water.

Boil the artichokes for about 30 minutes. They’re done when the leaves of the center part can be easily removed.

Remove the artichokes carefully from the water and let drain. Place upright on small plates.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the artichokes.

tip:
In order to eat the artichokes, you remove the leaves one by one and dip the bottom ends in the melted butter or other sauces such as Hollandaise or mayonnaise. Then scrape off the fleshy part on the end with you teeth. Once all of the leaves are removed, take a small kitchen knife or tablespoon to remove the choke (fuzzy hairy section which sits on the heart), then you can enjoy the heart.

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