She Strengthens

Unleash the Flavor of Artichokes

Artichokes can be intimidating, but with this simple recipe, you’ll be enjoying their tender hearts in no time. To elevate the experience, try adding aromatics like parsley, bay leaves, lemon juice, or black peppercorns to the steaming water.

Game Plan: Elevate Your Artichoke Experience

Create your own signature dipping sauces, such as homemade mayonnaise, garlic-mint yogurt spread, or aioli, to complement the artichokes. Don’t forget to serve with melted butter for an added richness.

Yield and Difficulty

This recipe yields 2 servings and is classified as easy, requiring only 5 minutes of active cooking time and a total of 30 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients

For the artichokes:

• 2 medium artichokes
• Salt

For serving (optional):

• Mayonnaise
• Garlic-Mint Yogurt Spread
• Aioli
• Melted butter

Steaming Artichokes to Perfection

Step 1: Prepare the Steamer

Fill a medium saucepan with an inch of water and add a few pinches of salt. Insert a steamer basket, ensuring the water level is below the holes. Cover the pan and bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer.

Step 2: Trim the Artichokes

Meanwhile, prepare the artichokes by removing any damaged or brown leaves. Using a serrated knife, trim the stems, leaving about half an inch, and cut off the pointy top third. This will ensure the artichokes fit snugly in the steamer basket.

Step 3: Steam the Artichokes

Place the artichokes stem-end up in the steamer basket, cover, and steam for 20 minutes. Check for doneness by pulling off an outer leaf from each and poking the base of the stems with a sharp knife. If the leaves come off easily and the knife slips in effortlessly, the artichokes are ready. If not, steam for an additional 10 to 15 minutes as needed.

Serving and Enjoying

Serve the artichokes with your chosen dipping sauce and enjoy the fruits of your labor! For a visual guide on how to eat an artichoke, refer to our illustrated tutorial.