The Little Things
March 6, 2013

One of the things I’ve loved the most since working on eating a healthy balanced diet is trying all sorts of new vegetables (like parsnip). While I’ve had artichoke dip and artichoke hearts in various dishes, I’ve never cooked a whole artichoke before (well, until the end of January). Artichoke always reminds me of the movie Julie and Julia, and I’ve wanted to try it since I first saw that movie back in 2009.

I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to cook the artichoke.

photo

Artichokes are so pretty, aren’t they?

I took the artichoke and cut off the stem so that it didn’t take up extra space in the pan.  I rinsed off the artichoke and then put it in a pot full of water so it was mostly covered. I covered the pan and brought to a boil. Once the water was boiling, I reduced heat so it was simmering and let it cook for about 30-35 minutes. Once it was done cooking, I started with the outer petals, and pulled them off one by one and let cool.

To eat, take the part of the petal furthest from the stem and hold that end. THe opposite end will have a small chunk of “meat”. Scrape your tooth along the petal and scrape the artichoke “meat” off and enjoy. Yum!

There are many options for sauces to dip the artichoke into if you would like. Melted butter is a popular one, although I haven’t tried it yet.

photoArtichoke petals and sauce!

The sauce that I’ve made on the multiple days I’ve eaten artichoke since January is a mixture of mayonnaise, lemon juice, and cajun spice. It sounds a little gross, but the flavors compliment one another nicely!

So, the next time you’re looking for a fun vegetable to try, think about the artichoke!

Now it’s your turn to share! Have you tried any new foods lately? Have you ever eaten artichoke in a form that isn’t a dip? 

One response to “Conquering the Artichoke”

  1. I’ve only had a full artichoke once in my life at a friends house. I liked it but almost forgot they existed haha… maybe have to try it again myself!