Artichokes
Description
We can get fresh artichokes starting in about February out here. I like them, but Mr. Stone Soup is a solid "meh." He says it's too much work to prepare them and to eat them. His favorite joke is that an "all you can eat artichoke bar is a negative calorie event." He's not far from wrong, I guess ;-)
But, I like their taste and they always herald the beginning of spring for us here in northern California, which this year, has come a little late!
This recipe is an easy way to prepare and enjoy them on a busy weeknight.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Place the water, salt, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, pepper corns and lemon juice into a large, heavy Dutch oven. Heat on medium-high heat until you achieve rolling boil.
Remove outer layer of leaves from the artichoke.
Using a very sharp knife, cut the artichoke leaves at a pretty steep angle, removing the pointy tips that can prick tender fingers! This will leave pretty short leaves at the base of the artichoke, so just make sure there's enough left to grasp.
Rinse the artichoke out thoroughly in cold water to get any dirt out of them. Using what remains of the lemon, quickly dab the freshly cut ends of the artichoke with the lemon to prevent from oxidizing.
Place the artichokes in the boiling water, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes until the artichoke is tender.
