Late Spring brings one of my favorite, albeit generally underrated vegetables – the artichoke. Often seen on Mediterranean restaurant menus (Italy is the top artichoke consuming country in the world), I don’t know many people who actually cook them at home. Upon investigation, the answers offered were generally they hadn’t thought about them (is there an artichoke marketing board I can speak with?) or they were unsure what to do with them (understandable enough).
In an attempt to make artichokes as easy as possible – and hopefully raise the profile of my beloved artichoke – I set out to compare different cooking methods to hopefully land on a favorite or at least easiest preparation. I simply could not declare a clear winner as I love artichokes in any form. So I offer you three recipes – and I provide a couple of pros and cons for each method.
Personally, I will most likely continue to prepare them the old-school steamed way, but the Instant Pot does cut down significantly on time, and depending on what size pots you have, you may be able to prepare multiple (and certainly in the baked method), which helps when entertaining. When paired with my homemade, garlic aioli they all taste pretty darn good – and let’s be honest – isn’t it really about the garlic aioli after all? The artichoke leaves serve almost as little shovels for the sauce and you know I love a sauce. I hope you enjoy these as much I do!
In general: look for healthy artichokes – indicated by tight, compact leaves that “squeak” a little when squeezed. A little discoloration on the leaves is normal. Feel for a heaviness that indicates it hasn’t dried out.
METHOD 1: Steaming
The Most Traditional Home Preparation Method
Prep Time: 45 min
Makes: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ARTICHOKE
- ½ LEMON
- WATER
Directions
- Cut off artichoke stem and trim small, bottom leaves so that it sits flat at bottom of the pot
- Fill the pot with water until halfway up the artichoke, squeeze the juice of ½ lemon into water and add lemon peel to the pot once squeezed
- Bring water to a boil, lower to a simmer, and place the lid on the pot. Simmer for about 45 mins
- Pros – A straightforward, almost fool-proof cooking method
- Cons – The longest cook time, the least infused flavor
METHOD 2: Baked
Prep Time: 45 min
Makes: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ARTICHOKE
- ½ FRESH LEMON
- 1 TBS OLIVE OIL
- 2 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
- 8 SPRIGS FRESH HERBS (ROSEMARY, THYME, OREGANO, SAGE – WHATEVER YOU HAVE/LIKE)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Cut off bottom 1/4 inch or so including artichoke stem as well as ¼ inch top of leaves, i.e. the pointy tips. Cut in half, vertically and scoop out fuzzy “choke” in middle
- Place cut side up in a baking dish. Rub lemon half over cut sides and brush with olive oil. Fill cavities with garlic and sprigs of fresh herbs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Flip artichokes over, using the herbs to help hold in the garlic. Brush this side with olive oil, salt & pepper, and bake, uncovered for 15 mins. Remove baking dish, COVER with foil and bake additional 20 mins
- Remove and set aside herbs (can use later in the aioli if desired) and serve warm
- Pros – Impressive presentation, gain a little extra flavor from garlic and herbs
- Cons –A bit messy to prepare. Leaves harden quickly, leaving really only the very bottom to eat
METHOD 3: Instant Pot
Prep Time: 25 min
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ARTICHOKE
- ½ LEMON
- WATER
Directions
- Prepare the artichoke the same way you did in the steaming method (essentially these are being steamed as well, simply in the Instant Pot). Cut off stem and bottom leaves so the artichoke sits flat
- Pour the one cup of water into the Instant Pot, place the rack insert in the pot, and place artichokes sitting upright on the rack. Squeeze juice of a lemon over artichokes and into water. Discard the peel (it will get bitter if included in this cooking process)
- Secure lid, confirm steam release valve is set to “sealing” and set on manual for 10 mins
- Allow the steam to naturally release for 10 mins, open lid, remove with thongs and serve alongside butter or dipper sauce (below)
- Pros – The quickest of the methods, also nearly foolproof
- Cons –Lugging out a big Instant Pot for just a few artichokes
GARLIC AIOLI
Prep Time: 25 min
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 EGG YOLKS
- ½ DRY MUSTARD
- ½ SALT
- JUICE OF ½ LEMON
- 1/3 CUP HIGH-QUALITY VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
- 1 HEAD ROASTED GARLIC
Directions
- Combine egg yolks, dry mustard, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor for 30 seconds
- With processor running, very slowly pour oil in, in a thin stream. Continue running for approx. 2-3 mins until mixture starts to thicken
- Add garlic and any remaining spices you’d like to use (i.e. ones left over from the baked artichoke recipe or any fresh herbs you’d like). Continue running processor for another 30 seconds – 1 min
