Artichokes

I had a happy customer hand me a case of artichokes today as a thank you for services rendered.

I have no idea how to prepare artichokes.  Now I have 30 of them.

Help! 

Send them to me and I'll figure out how to cook them for you... He he heh...

True

This is how I grew up eating them... we dipped them in miracle whip...

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_cook_and_eat_an_artichoke/

The bottom of this thread has a great-looking recipe I've been meaning to try but haven't gotten around to yet.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/88673/artichokes

+1 @ revs recipe link... dipped in lemon/butter. miracle whip sounds awkward but im not a fan of mayo anyways. smoking them sounds interesting.

We grow our own. My wife steams them in a pressure cooker until they are kind of soft. Not sure how long. Then each big scale has a little edible bite (we dip in mayo, too ) which you scrape off with your teeth. Then  you work your way to the center where there is a big tuft of inedible fiber that would eventually develop into the flowers. Below that is a big concave cup which is the best part. If they are real fresh you can even eat down into the first part of the stem but it can also be pretty strong flavored. You need a big bowl to toss the parts you don't eat. That's how we do it.

Thanks guys.

That's less daunting than I thought.  I can just steam them in my crab boiler.

Would they do well with a hint of old bay;)

I do think I will have to give some away.

Any volunteers?

I'm going to probably have 10 or so people over for a bday cookout on Sunday, so after that the leftovers are up for grabs.

I steam mine and dip the leaves in garlic butter. 

thanks, now I'm hungry!

+1 for the Garlic Butter

I usually just trim the bottom so it sits flat, put em in a pot with spices and water up 1/3 of the way up the choke, cover and simmer for 35 mins.  We use garlic butter and or plain mayo for dipping.

Spices I put in the water are garlic, peppercorns, basil, sea salt.  I pour a touch of EVOO over the top of the chokes and sprinkle a bit of garlic salt on top before covering and simmering.

One of our favorite home entertainment meals is sushi and chokes....

Good stuff!

A splash of lemon on them before putting them in the boiler will keep them a brighter green as well as give them a touch of lemon flavor.

-Allen

but a portion of the stem is edible and oh so delicious! once they cool off, i snap the stem and eat it first. make sure you let them cool for a bit. prop them upside down and let the water drain from the petals.

if you're patient, you can cook the lot of them and can the extras. artichoke hearts are good in pastas and such, but very expensive to buy precanned

prop them upside down and let the water drain from the petals.

Just cook them upside down to begin with.  You're less likely to get "soggy chokes".

-Alle

A splash of lemon on them before putting them in the boiler will keep them a brighter green as well as give them a touch of lemon flavor.

FYI, works on apple slices too.  Dip them in water/lemon juice/sugar solution and they'll looked freshly cut for a long time.

artichoke hearts are good in pastas and such, but very expensive to buy precanned

Got two big jars at Costco for $12.  They definitely aren't cheap.


My favorite is putting them on pizza or in pasta salad.

A splash of lemon on them before putting them in the boiler will keep them a brighter green as well as give them a touch of lemon flavor.

-Allen

Forgot to also say ... cook them in a non-reactive pot (stainless, enamel, glass, etc.).

-Allen