I cook my artichokes whole in my instant pot. I use water and add half a lemon and sometimes a bay leaf. Our favorite dipping sauce is a homemade Thai peanut sauce which is a recipe I found on the California Artichoke Advisory Board website years ago. It’s basically peanut butter, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, and sesame oil. I tease my husband that he likes a little artichoke with the dipping sauce rather than the other way around. Seriously, artichokes are his favorite veggie. We live in NH so they are a rare treat. He gets his fix by buying canned artichokes and sauteing them in butter before folding them into his breakfast omelets.
version ai :
This is what I think of as the only recipe for artichokes, because this is the only one I want. It’s a very simple how-to. You steam them in a little water for a long time until the tough outer leaves turn tender, then you dip the bottoms of the leaves in butter and drag them through coarse salt and eat the tender insides, scraping them off with your teeth. You do this until you get to the fuzzy choke, which you scoop out (carefully, it’s pokey) with a spoon, and then you eat the heart in one bite. If this sounds like a lot of work for not a lot of food, you are absolutely right. It is tedious. It is messy. It is, to me, transcendent.
I learned to make them from my stepmother, who made a big production of it: big enough to fill a Dutch oven so the entire family could enjoy. The first step, for me, was peeling off any tough or dark-looking outer leaves. This helps them cook more evenly but it also, I think, helps you not get discouraged during the eating process, as the first few leaves you peel will already be fully tender. Next, you trim the stem so it’s flat and the artichoke can stand upright. Lastly, you snip off the sharp thorn at the tip of each leaf. My stepmother used scissors, I use my fingers. (You don’t have to do this part, but I like knowing it’s not going to poke my tongue while I’m eating.)
My trick to cooking them is a little unusual. Most recipes say 20 to 30 minutes, but even 35 for me often results in tough inner leaves. I’ve read that this can be a function of how fresh the artichokes are (fresher ones cook faster) and while that might be true, it feels like all artichokes should be able to get tender. My solution is this: I give them 45 to 60 minutes. Yes, they get softer. Yes, the color turns duller. No, I don’t find them mushy, or overcooked, or lacking in flavor. I find them perfectly tender, which is exactly how I want them.
I always serve them with melted butter and flaky sea salt. Don’t skimp on either.
Steamed Artichokes
Ingredients
- 2 medium-large artichokes
- 1 cup water
- Pinch of salt
- 2 to 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Flaky sea salt (like Maldon), to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the artichokes: Peel off any tough or dark-looking outer leaves from the bottom of each artichoke. Trim the stem so that the artichoke can stand upright. Snip off the thorn at the tip of each leaf.
- Steam the artichokes: Put the water and salt in a pot that is large enough to fit the artichokes snugly but still allows the lid to close. Place the artichokes in the pot, cut-side up. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover tightly, and steam for 45 to 60 minutes, or until an outer leaf can be easily removed. I usually go for the full 60.
- Serve: Carefully remove the artichokes from the pot. Serve with melted butter and flaky sea salt for dipping.
Do ahead: Artichokes can be steamed in advance and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or serve at room temperature.
For one: This is not the most efficient recipe for one, but it works fine. Just use one artichoke, half the water, and 1 to 2 tablespoons butter. The cooking time will be the same.
