Whether you want to cook artichokes on a regular basis or you are trying to find new ways to prepare them, there are plenty of options to choose from. You can steam them, bake them, or pressure-cook them.
Preparation
Whether you’re serving an artichoke as an appetizer, a garnish, or as a main dish, you’ll want to follow these simple tips for preparing this beautiful globe.
If you’re preparing an artichoke for a raw dish, such as a salad, you’ll want to remove the inner bracts and thorns before cooking. The bracts and thorns will soften during cooking and will be much easier to peel away.
Once you’ve removed the bracts and thorns, you’ll want to wash the artichoke. You’ll want to make sure to rinse the artichoke in cold water before preparing it.
You’ll also want to trim the outer leaves and stem to make it easier to eat. You can do this with a paring knife or a kitchen sheer.
For the stem, you’ll want to peel off the fibrous outer layer and cut off the sharp tips. Once you’ve done this, you can slice the rest of the artichoke to make it easier to serve.
Steaming
Taking time to prepare artichokes before steaming them makes the process easier. The resulting taste is fresh, sweet, and full of flavor. In addition, artichokes are loaded with iron, potassium, calcium, and folate. They are also a great source of fiber.
Before cooking, artichokes should be rinsed thoroughly. They should then be placed in a pot with enough water to cover them. They should also be trimmed. The top half of the artichoke should be cut off to expose the heart.
When you are ready to steam, place the artichoke head down on a flat bottomed pan. Add one quarter inch of water. You will need a steamer basket if you plan to steam more than one artichoke at a time. The size of the artichoke will affect how long it takes to steam. It may take up to 35 minutes for a medium-sized artichoke and up to 25 minutes for a large one.
The best way to check if the artichokes are ready is to poke them with a knife. If they slide easily into the knife, they are done. If they do not, it is time to steam them for a bit longer.
After the artichoke has been steamed, it is time to remove the leaves. When removing the outer leaves, be careful to keep the fuzzy spines out of your mouth. If they get stuck in your teeth, they are not edible.
Baking
Whether you’re looking for an easy side dish or a delicious main course, baking an artichoke is a great way to make the most of this delicious vegetable. There are several ways to prepare them, but they all follow a similar process. The first step is to prep the artichoke before cooking it.
To start, peel off the outer leaves of the artichoke. Next, remove the stem. These two steps are important for cooking. The stem should be trimmed so that it is as thin as possible.
After trimming the stem, use kitchen shears to remove the thorns. These thorns will soften with cooking and be less sharp.
Artichokes should be rinsed thoroughly. Depending on the type of artichoke, the leaves may be cooked separately. The stem is usually steamed. This is a faster method of cooking.
Before baking an artichoke, you should wrap each one in heavy-duty foil. This will keep the leaves from drying out and will make the meat tender.
During baking, you should check periodically to ensure that the artichoke is not drying out. To prevent moisture loss, use a large baking dish. Also, it’s a good idea to brush the cut side with a little olive oil. You should also add salt, pepper, and garlic to the cut sides.
Pressure cooking
Adding artichokes to your pressure cooker is a great way to cook them. They can be cooked to perfection, whether you want them cooked with garlic butter, or served with your favorite dip.
If you are cooking large artichokes, it will take about 30 minutes for them to cook. Smaller artichokes will only take about 10-12 minutes. If your artichokes are very dense, you may need to cook them for longer than the recommended time.
To cook artichokes in a pressure cooker, you should first remove the stems. You will then need to cut them into pieces. You can use a chef’s knife to do this. When you’re done, you can transfer the artichokes to a bowl or plate.
Then, fill your pressure cooker with about a cup of water. This should be enough to cover the bottom of the artichokes, but not so much that the bottom of the leaves are submerged. You should also add a few slices of lemon to the water. This creates an acidulated bath, which slows down the enzyme activity. This keeps the artichokes’ leaves green, and halts the browning process.
Once your artichokes have been prepared, you can start cooking them. If you are using an electric pressure cooker, you should set the valve to seal. You should wait about 10 minutes for the pressure to drop. If you are using a stovetop pressure cooker, you should set it to the pressure cooking position.
Removing the choke
Whether you are cooking an artichoke, using it as an ingredient, or serving it for an appetizer, it is important to remove the choke. This fuzzy part of the plant is a choking hazard and can be difficult to reach. You can either discard the choke or scrape it out with a spoon.
Removing the choke when cooking an artichoke is a simple process that can be accomplished with a few easy steps. You will first need to cut the artichoke in half, which will make it easier to remove. Then you will need to slice off the crown of the leaves, which will expose the inner choke.
You will want to discard the outer leaves. You will also need to trim the base. This will give you a better presentation and make the plant easier to eat.
To remove the choke, you can either use a spoon or a small knife. You can also use a melon baller. Once you’ve removed the choke, you can enjoy the plant’s delicious flesh.