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Steamed Artichoke Leaves, Heart and Stem
w/ Olive Oil and Lemon
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Wash artichoke thoroughly in cold water; cut off the stem.
Pull off a few of the tough outer leaves from artichoke.
Cut about one inch off the top.
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Fill a large soup pot with about four inches of cold water.
Place cut and trimmed artichoke into the water.
Squeeze half a lemon over the artichoke.
Place peeled stem into the water.
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To clean and peel artichoke stem simply remove any tough leaves from the stem and peel the skin off with a vegetable peeler.
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Repeat the cleaning process with all of the artichokes.
Place pot onto stove.
Turn heat to high and bring water to a full boil.
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Cover pot loosely and boil artichokes for about 20-25 minutes.
The time will vary depending on the size of the artichoke.
Check the water level every five minutes and if it is almost gone add a few cups to the pot.
Check artichoke after 20 minutes by pulling off a couple of leaves and tasting them for doneness.
They should be soft and edible as opposed to hard and undercooked.
Cook the artichoke a few more minutes if needed.
Be careful with the steam when you remove the cover from the pot!
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Using a pair of long tongs, remove the artichokes from the pot.
Discard the water.
Let artichokes cool for at least 10 minutes before cleaning.
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Using the same long tongs, pull out the purple leaves from inside the artichoke.
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Use a spoon to remove the fuzzy part that is attached to the heart.
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Artichoke is now ready to eat.
You can pull off all of the leaves to expose the heart.
Place leaves, stem and heart onto a platter and serve.
You can also put the cooked artichoke into the fridge for later.
Eat hot or cold.
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