Artichoke eating is a hands-on affair and like cracking open a lobster, the journey is part of the event. The main edible portion of this immature flower is mainly the thickened receptacle (heart) and fleshy bases of the scales (bottom 1/3 of leaves). The taste is very mild with a meaty texture.Technically a Mediterranean thistle, the artichoke plant grows as high as six feet, resembling a giant fern. When not harvested in the early stages of growth they transform into huge purple flowers. The tender, pale inner leaves have a nutty-flavour. To access the heart, a light layer of fuzz called the choke must be scrape off.

Baby or miniature Artichokes are harvested earlier for their tenderness and are considered a specialty variety.

HOW TO CHOOSE 

Artichokes are available all year long, and peak from March through May. Yes, Ralph’s Farm Market does offer the Green Globe variety.
Up to a softball in size, look for heavy, uniformly coloured deep-green, tightly packed leaves and dark tips; avoiding those with heavy browning (a few brown spots are normal, generally indicating frost damage, and will not affect the flavour).

STORAGE

Tap the choke upside down in the sink…to ensure no bugs made their way into your kitchen. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Store unwashed artichokes in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. They can be frozen vegetable as well for longer storage durations.

Overripe
If the leaves appear too open then it is past its prime, so the leaves may be tough. It’s still edible, however. Try making artichoke soup!

HOW TO PREPARE

Just before cooking, wash artichoke under running cold water.

Whole Artichoke

Step 1 Chop off the stem attached to the base to remove some of the hard fibres surrounding the base and remove the top portion of any coarse lower petals, leaving 1 1/2″ or so of the stem.

Step 2 Snip off thorny tips.

NOTE: Baby artichokes are a bit more tender than globe and do not need to be trimmed.

Step 3
Hold the artichoke tightly and cut off the top 1/3 to 1/4. Use your best kitchen knife for this step!

Step 4
To prevent browning, dip in lemon juice or vinegar.

Step 5
Boiling and Steaming
Your pot (or steamer) should be sized to hold the artichokes upright. Lemons, garlic, and olive oil are commonly added to the cooking process.

When boiling, top with a plate or a lid smaller than your pot to keep them from floating above the water. Bring water to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for about 25 to 30 minutes.

Step 6
Artichokes are done when the leaves are darker, have loosened, and a fork easily slides into the center.

Step 7
Drip dry upside down on a paper towel to drain excess water from inside the leaves.

Step 8
Gently pull the leaves back to locate the fuzzy choke – the very center of the artichoke. Since it is not edible, use a spoon, grapefruit spoon, or melon baller to gently scoop out the choke. Serve immediately.

Hearts Only
If only the artichoke hearts are to be prepared, chop off the top third of the artichoke to remove the leaves and remove any remaining leaves from around the base. Scoop out and discard the fibres that make up the choke with a spoon, grapefruit spoon, or melon baller. Place the small round flesh in water mixed with a small amount of lemon juice or vinegar, cooking it for 5 to 10 minutes.

HOW TO ENJOY 

The Green Globe is a good variety to marinate, to stuff with ingredients, to bake, broil, or to steam cook. There are wonderful health-conscious ways to savour an artichoke with very little butter: 

Cooking They can be braised (covered pot with a small amount of liquid), sautéed, steamed. Serve whole but you may want to snip off the sharp points on the leaves.

For dipping Artichokes are a crowd-pleasing appetizer. Once steamed, simply snip off the sharp points, and serve. Try any of the following combinations:

• roasted red pepper purée, a ‘Silken’ tofu-based garlic aioli
• artichoke mixed with lemon-butter, or mayonnaise
• sprinkle with salt
• using only the hearts and stems, spinach & artichoke are a winning combination

• Peel off the leaves and enjoy dipping them dipped in some lemon or butter or sprinkle with salt. When you get to the middle, use a grapefruit spoon to take out the choke and then enjoy the heart!
• When serving, set an additional bowl on the table for any undesirable, discarded leaves. However, the leaves closest to the choke’s heart may be very tender and the whole cluster of leaves are frequently eaten.