Here's How You Cook an Artichoke
Stop shying away from that cute little artichoke in fear that you won't cook it correctly. It's super easy and I also have a bonus vegan dipping sauce for you, too!
Ingredients
Setup
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2 large, fresh artichokes
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1 lemon, cut in half
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Artichoke Dipping Sauce
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1 package soft silken tofu
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1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
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1 teaspoon miso paste
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1⁄2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
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Pinch of salt
Directions
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When purchasing artichokes, make sure it feels a little heavy and the leaves are tight.
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Trim up the base of the artichoke by cutting about 1/2 “ off the stem and score it, helping it to cook faster. Trim off any old and loose leaves on the bottom. Next, cut off the top of the artichoke – about 1⁄2” down. You may want to use a serrated knife.
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Take your cut lemon and squeeze lemon into the layers of leaves as an artichoke will oxidize quickly. Add about 3” of water to a large pot, squeeze the lemon into the water and also the entire rind. Bring the water to a boil and down to a simmer.
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Using kitchen shears, cut off the tips of the individual leaves on the artichoke (optional).
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You can now either fit in a steamer basket or just add the artichokes directly to the pot and cook for 30-40 minutes. The artichokes will turn dark green to slightly brown and the stem will be fork ready. -OR- Submerge the entire artichoke in the lemon water for 35-45 minutes, depending upon the size of the artichoke.
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Taking one leaf at a time, scrape the meat from the bottom of the leaf off and enjoy! When you get to the heart, cut around the “fuzzy” part and the meatiness sitting right on top of the stem is the heart. That’s the part everyone loves!
For the dipping sauce, Simply add all the ingredients to a blender and run until smooth.
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