How to Prepare a Fresh Artichoke

Kitchen Bascis 101

How to Prepare a Fresh Artichoke                           

#1. First, set up a bowl of acidulated water: Squeeze the juice of two lemons into 2 to 3 quarts of cold water, then throw in the lemon rinds. During the preparation process, keep the prepped artichokes in the acidulated water until you’re ready to cook or stuff them; it prevents them from turning brown.  Keep one half of a lemon out of the water for you to use during the process.

 

#2. Using a large knife, cut off the bottom of the stem, about 1 inch, discard and rub the bottom of the stem with the lemon half.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#3. Next, cut off the top 1 ½ inches of the artichoke. Discard the tops. Immediately plunge the cut artichoke into the lemon water for a moment to prevent browning for a couple seconds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#4. Pull off the outer most leaves, grabbing them and pulling them downwards towards the stem. Continue upwards, snapping off about 25 percent of the outer leave, or until you reach the leaves that have a lighter brighter green color and appear to more tender.  Keep the last couple leaves you pulled off…thrown into the pot, they help make great juice when making stuffed artichokes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#5. With a small pairing knife, trim the dark remains of the leaves from around the stem; also peel the outer skin on the stem to reveal a pale green stem.  The stem is a very tasty part of the artichoke; it is actually part of the heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#6. Cut the entire trimmed artichoke bottom off. Keep the bottom and stem in the lemon water.  The trimmed stem and bottom can be used whole or sliced and placed in the baking dish along with the stuffed artichokes to add to the flavor of the cooking juices.  The artichoke should have a flat sturdy base now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#7.  You will see shiny purple-tipped leaves in the center of the artichoke. These are covering the choke and may have thin thorns on their tips. Reach in and grab them all at once, pulling outward with a twisting motion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#8. Once the inner leaves of the artichoke are removed, you’ll see the fuzzy, silky choke. Scrape it out with a melon baller or a serrated grapefruit spoon. Be sure to remove all the hairy bits, but don’t scrape away the edible flesh of the heart. (you can keep the choke in for cooking, but then your guests will have to beware and eat around it, so its preferred to remove it now).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Place the artichoke choke back in the lemon water while you finish preparing the remaining artichokes.
The prepped artichoke is ready to stuff.

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