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Girl With ArtichokesDiego Rivera
Quite honestly, this could be me when considering
cooking an artichoke! She looks perplexed, doesn't she?
I see them in the grocery but hesitate to buy them.
I've never cooked them or eaten them whole!
In fact, the only way I've ever had
them is in the TGI Friday's spinach and
artichoke dip or marinated in a salad!
Do you make them at home?
What's your favorite way to eat them?
I'd love some ideas!
I prefer to cook them whole by the steam method. The other way is to boil them whole until leaves are tender. Then drain them very good upside down so they don't trap water and get soggy. Either method you choose, cut the sharp tips off the leaves before cooking. Check out Betty crocker website and you'll find same basic directions as well with cooking time, etc. Easy peezy!
ReplyDeleteWell, I've never personally cooked them, but Vince makes them for me about once a year:) They are so yummy!
ReplyDeleteHere's his method:
1. fill a large pot about 3/4 full with water
2. bring water to a simmer
3. add lemon juice, butter and garlic to simmering water
4. cut tops off artichokes and add to water, bottom side up
5. simmer until the petals soften, maybe about 20 min.
6. serve with melted butter
7. to eat, peel each petal off individually and only eat the little meaty part at the base of the petal. As you get closer to the heart there will be more meat on each petal. At the bottom, scrape off the "fuzzy" part and then eat the heart last of all.
With each bite is dipped in butter, it's so rich and delicious!
Go for it, Betsy, you can do it:)
I don't like artichokes (and therefore don't have a recipe) but I love the illustration you have chosen.
ReplyDeleteI've never bought them and I don't think I've ever had them, eating out. Well, if Lora says they're yummy, I might try one day!
ReplyDeleteAnother vegetable I tried for the first time last year was fennel and I loved that in a filo pastry and cheese recipe.
Love the pic, too.
'Tis not something I'll buy on a regular basis, but not too bad when mixed in with other things like the dip you mention. Our store doesn't carry the fresh ones, only the canned or jarred marinated hearts.
ReplyDeleteToo, as a Lean Pocket eater, they now offer one with artichoke. Quite tasty :p
I've only ever cooked them once, a friend bought us some from Rome. I cooked the they way Lora describes - they were tasty, but a bit of a palaver!
ReplyDeleteNo artichokes that I know of. About as close as Patty comes would be cabbage which I love, with pork of some kind, and mashed potatoes and wow. My mouth is watering already.
ReplyDeleteBetsy, you know me, I do not cook but I enjoyed reading this post. I agree on the expression on her face.;))
ReplyDeletexo
Oh...yum...I love an artichoke!
ReplyDeleteI do not do this often but enjoy them so much! Trim them up good and cook in boiling water for 25-40 minutes (outside leaves must start loosening to be tender) drain well and I love to dip the leaves/petals in browned butter.
I've never cooked artichokes either, but I love the illustration you used.
ReplyDeleteyears ago my brother was visiting us and we watched a cooking show that featured artichokes. They looked so good so we went to town and bought some and then cooked them as a group project.
ReplyDeletebut none of us liked them, we followed the tv cooks instructions so we thought maybe the artichokes were not prime artichokes.
I've never cooked them again.
But I still think that good artichokes are something I would like - but I don't want to go to all that trouble again for a bad dish.
I love artichokes !!!!
ReplyDeleteIn the late 60's artichokes were served at a dinner party I attended. I was hooked there and then. Chilled, stuffed with crab meat salad...plain and ready for dipping .. there are so many ways to serve them. I can't even estimate how many artichokes I have prepared since that night.
I steam them upside down (cut off the stem and trim the pointed tops so they are level)... you know when they are cooked when you begin to smell their aroma. Usually around 40-45 minutes. Drain upside down. I make a mayo/lemon juice/curry powder mixture for dipping leaves in.
My son prefers melted butter for dipping. To prepare for eating..spread the leaves with your fingers, pull out the middle/inner leaves and discard. With a teaspoon scrape out the 'choke' part (or you WILL choke) until you see the heart. After you have finished 'eating/scraping' the meat from each leaf you are left with the delectable heart which is pure heaven to eat. Now ... just go for it little lady!
artichokes were the bane of my existance when i was younger. really they were never prepared right...all the life drained out of them in overcooking.
ReplyDeleteThe way you've had them is the only way I have, except there is a cold dip in one of the cases at Sam's Club. I have no idea otherwise, and I'm pretty sure it's something I won't be cooking anytime soon. It just doesn't look like something appealing to me. I know, I know...big surprise!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm not big on artichokes, but I adore Diego Rivera!!
ReplyDeleteLora ~ that sounds very easy and delish! Everything is good dipped in melted butter, right? :)
ReplyDeleteAlaine ~ ok...if you try them before me, make sure and let me know how you did it and if they were good! :)
ReplyDeleteHelen ~ yum....served with crab salad...now that sounds delish! I'm getting excited to try them now...I hope we like them!
ReplyDeletethe only way i've ever eaten artichokes is in dip. i wouldn't have a clue what to do with then.
ReplyDeletethe renoir is wonderful with the soft flowing lines.
no ideas...just me agreeing with you on the whole artichoke ordeal...i will check back for inspiring comments...the painting does look like you
ReplyDeleteThe picture is wonderful. I have never cooked artichokes that I remember. If I did, it was back in the 70's and I messed it up so badly that I put it out of my mind. I will be anxious to hear when you try cooking them and if it's not that hard and they taste good....maybe I'll give it a shot!
ReplyDeleteTrish ~ they are so beautiful and seem so gourmet-ish! I haven't even looked to see if they are expensive! If they are, maybe The Mister and I will share one just to see if we like it the first time!
ReplyDeleteSorry, no help here....
ReplyDeleteI'ver eaten artichokes, but never cooked them.
Closest I've come is cabbage and brussel sprouts, how exotic is that ?
;)
She looks so sad because those suckers have thorns.
ReplyDeleteWe eat them steamed and the leaves dipped in mayo. My daughter mostly liked artichokes because of the mayo she dipped them into. LOTS of mayo. And then one day all that mayo made her throw up and after that she hated artichokes. One less for me to have to fix.
They are worth the work.
She's probably not sure if she should dip the leaves in melted butter or mayo! Yum!
ReplyDeleteLynne ~ thorns? I didn't know that! Anything dipped in mayo has got to be good! ha!
ReplyDeleteI love angel hair pasta with artichoke hearts but, no, I've never made them myself either. Seems rather daunting.
ReplyDeleteI slice the tops off and steam them. Then melt some butter. Pull the leaves and dip the tastey soft part in the butter and eat!
ReplyDeleteManuela
I like artichokes, BUT they give me terrible wind, so I have to be careful not to eat them before a date. It can be very embarrassing at times, especially when in a packed cinema when everywhere is quiet. . . .
ReplyDeleteSorry, I have no idea. I used to know a veggie song a long time ago, but it was about rutabagas. And I have no idea what that has to do with this. Foreign veggies, I guess :)
ReplyDeleteWendy ~ oh dear..well, at least you now know and can only eat them when you are alone for the evening! ha!
ReplyDelete