In reply to Hannah.
Hannah–you are not the only one. My California mother also used the pressure cooker.
version ai :
Steamed Artichokes
We’ve been in a bit of a cooking funk. It happens! Especially when work is busy and days are getting longer and we’re trying to make sure the kids get enough outdoor time before the sun sets, and then suddenly it’s 7:45pm and we’re staring at the contents of the fridge, bleary-eyed, knowing we need dinner, but unsure what to make. Most of the time, we’ve been making toast-with-fried-eggs, but, you know. Only so many nights in a row.
The other night, I went to the market and saw mountains of artichokes, beautiful and taut and purple-tinged. Artichokes are one of those things that feel like a real effort, but are actually so easy and hands-off and rewarding. They need little more than water, salt, and maybe a lemon wedge or some garlic cloves tossed in for flavor, and then 30 to 45 minutes of steaming until tender. My favorite way to eat them is with just a drizzle of good olive oil, flaky sea salt, and a squeeze of lemon (hence the lemons below), but a little mayo or aioli or melted butter is also excellent. Or, for a little fun, you can make an herb vinaigrette.
And you know what else is great? You eat them so slowly, peeling off one leaf at a time, dipping, scraping, then onto the next, that by the time you’re done, it’s been 20 minutes and you’re happily full and satiated. Plus, they’re really good for you. They’re a superfood!
These instructions work for any size artichoke, from baby artichokes to large ones, you just need to adjust the cooking time. The ones I photographed below were large. If you’re not sure about how to prep them, I’ve included photos. And if you’re looking for a good steamer, I use this one, which is collapsible and fits pots of many sizes. I actually use it more for reheating leftovers (steaming them in a steamer basket is infinitely better than microwaving them; they remain moist and don’t get chewy) than anything else.
One last thing: the recipe calls for artichokes with stems. Do not cut the stems! You can peel and cook them (more on that below). They’re basically like artichoke hearts, so why would you discard them? Artichoke bottoms, artichoke hearts, artichoke stems, artichoke leaves — it’s all delicious. It’s what you might call a no-waste veggie.
Happy Spring! Hopefully the artichokes will inspire you too.
Steamed Artichokes
Yields: 2 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 to 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 large artichokes, with stems, if possible
- 1/2 lemon, plus extra wedges for serving
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus extra for serving
- Optional for serving: a good extra-virgin olive oil, mayonnaise, aioli, or melted butter
Instructions
- Fill a pot with 2 inches of water. Add lemon half, garlic cloves, and salt. Bring to a boil.
- Prepare the artichokes: Slice off the top 1/2 to 3/4 inch from the top of each artichoke. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the toughest outer layer of the stem, if it has one. If the artichokes have very tough outer leaves, peel the bottom three or four rows from the base. Use kitchen shears to snip off the sharp tips of the remaining leaves.
- Place artichokes in a steamer basket in the pot. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover tightly, and steam for 30 to 45 minutes, or until a bottom leaf can be easily pulled off.
- Remove artichokes from steamer basket and drain thoroughly. Place on a plate with desired accompaniments.
- To eat: Pull off one leaf at a time. Dip the white, fleshy end in olive oil or mayo. Scrape the soft portion off with your teeth. Discard remaining leaf. When you’ve reached the fuzzy choke in the center, scrape it away with a spoon. You can now eat the artichoke heart. The stem is also edible; peel it first if you hadn’t already. Enjoy!
