Grandma's Artichokes

Eating artichokes can be very challenging. I remember Grandma making artichokes, but finding them so intimidating that I often did not eat them. But artichokes are so delicious, especially the heart, that every now and then, they are worth the extra effort. And, when they are in season, you can easily find them in most grocery stores.

Grandma's recipe card for artichokes is typical for Grandma, in that it contains very little information, but probably just enough for Grandma. So, in order to make these artichokes, I relied on my memory and also a google search to supplement the limited information in Grandma's recipe. When enjoying the artichokes, you can use any variety of dipping sauces with any seasonings. I prefer lemon butter, but other dipping sauces could be good. The recipe below calls for two artichokes because that is about what will fit in an average saucepan. But you could easily make just one or many more.

Artichokes 

• 2 artichokes
• clove of garlic, optional
• bay leaf, optional
• parsley, optional
• cheese, optional
• vinegar, optional
• oil, optional
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• lemon

Prepare the artichokes by using scissors to remove the ends of the petals. Then slice about one half inch off the stem and use a vegetable peeler to peel the stem. Rinse the artichokes under water and open the petals a little to get water into the artichoke. Put about an inch of water in a sauce pan and place a steamer basket in the pan. Add a slice of lemon to the water and any desired seasoning, such as a clove of garlic or a bay leaf. Place the prepared artichokes into the steamer basket and cover the pan. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 25 to 45 minutes or until the outer leaves can be easily peeled. Then, melt the butter. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice into the melted butter. Alternatively, a dipping sauce can be made with vinegar, oil, and seasonings.

To eat the artichoke, remove the outer petal and dip the fleshy end into the lemon butter. While gripping the other end of the petal, place the fleshy end in your mouth, bite down and pull the petal out to remove the fleshy portion of the petal. Discard the petal and repeat with all the petals. Once all the petals are removed, use a spoon or a knife to scrape away the fuzzy part (the choke) that is on top of the heart. Dip the artichoke heart into the lemon butter and enjoy. The stem is also good, but can be a little bitter. Enjoy!