How to Cook an Artichoke and Many Ways to Eat ’Em

By Tabitha Alterman
Published on February 22, 2012
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Artichokes are a natural for grilling. Serve them with a dipping sauce that adds a kick while also cooling things down, such as yogurt mixed with fresh mint, hot red chiles, a dash of vinegar, and a pinch each of salt and sugar.
Artichokes are a natural for grilling. Serve them with a dipping sauce that adds a kick while also cooling things down, such as yogurt mixed with fresh mint, hot red chiles, a dash of vinegar, and a pinch each of salt and sugar.
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It's almost as much work to eat an artichoke as it is to prepare one, but that's what makes it worth it.
It's almost as much work to eat an artichoke as it is to prepare one, but that's what makes it worth it.
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Baby artichokes, which have not yet developed a choke, can be eaten whole, but you can use pieces of larger artichokes in the Baby Artichoke and Shrimp Tempura dish as well.
Baby artichokes, which have not yet developed a choke, can be eaten whole, but you can use pieces of larger artichokes in the Baby Artichoke and Shrimp Tempura dish as well.
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When stuffing artichokes, choose whatever is in season and whatever you love — feel free to experiment.
When stuffing artichokes, choose whatever is in season and whatever you love — feel free to experiment.
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The classic hollandaise method is to serve a warm, boiled artichoke with its center filled with the sauce.
The classic hollandaise method is to serve a warm, boiled artichoke with its center filled with the sauce.

An artichoke is a beast — but you can tame it. It’s almost as much work to eat one as it is to prepare one, but that’s what makes it worth it. The flavor is sweet, vegetal and rich. With each bite you savor, you’ll appreciate each minute of exacting work it took to get you there.

Celebrated chef Thomas Keller says life’s greatest challenge is “to maintain passion for the everyday routine and the endlessly repeated act, to derive deep gratification from the mundane.” And he sees the preparation of artichokes as the pinnacle of rising to that challenge. “You may look at your artichokes and think, ‘Look at all those artichokes I’ve got to cut and clean.’ But turning them — pulling off the leaves, trimming their stems, scooping out the chokes, pulling your knife around its edge — that is cooking.”

How to Cook an Artichoke

You’ll need an artichoke, a lemon and plenty of melted butter.

1. You only want the best, so get rid of the rest: Tear off the tough outer leaves, and cut off the stem and the top third. Use scissors to snip off any sharp leaf tips that remain.

2. You want it pretty. Rub and squeeze the cut side of half a lemon all over the artichoke to keep it sprightly and green.

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