# Artichokes cooking suggestions?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artichokes-cooking-suggestions/296351>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 26, 2005, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artichokes-cooking-suggestions/296351 "2005-03-26T14:02:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rabbit)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artichokes-cooking-suggestions/296351/1 "2005-03-26T14:02:25Z")

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Ok, I’m a big fan of artichokes. Unfortunately, I’m very limited in how to cook the things.  
I usually just steam them and then make a sort of puree (very time consuming) heavy on olive oil, salt and lemon juice (delish!).

Can any of you guys recommend a way to cook these things that you personally think is great? Something you’ve done and really, REALLY enjoyed?  
Please provide step by step recipes since Id certainly like to try new techniques

Thanks

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**Author:** ![joemama24\_98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce7236/32.png) [@joemama24\_98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joemama24_98)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artichokes-cooking-suggestions/296351/2 "2005-03-26T15:30:00Z")

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This may not be too different than yours, but the only way I know how to make them:

Place in saucepan covered 1/3 - 1/2 of the way up with water

Season water (salt, garlic cloves, even some shallot, or whatever floats your boat)

Cover and simmer for 1-1.5 hours. (leaves will pull off easily when done)

Eat leaves by hand (scrape bottom part of each with teeth into your mouth). Definitely not a “first date” food 🙂

You’ll only want to eat the outer 2/3s of the leaves. After those are gone, get down to the heart, lightly salt, and eat it.

I love the flavor of atrichokes (not the marinated store kind, but cooked at home). Unfortunately, never figures out to cook them any other way. Grilling them never worked for me…

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artichokes-cooking-suggestions/296351/3 "2005-03-26T15:38:24Z")

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Here are some ideas:

> **[Artichokes](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=175462)**
>
> How do you eat your artichokes? With butter/margarine? With mayonaise? Some other dressing? Do you scrape the leaves with your teeth? Or do you only eat the heart? I just had a couple small artichokes for lunch. (Or breakfast. Since I hadn’t...

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**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\
**Post date:** [March 26, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/artichokes-cooking-suggestions/296351/4 "2005-03-26T15:44:37Z")

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I discovered this a long time ago - steam them, but throw a bag of Zatarin’s shrimp boil into the water. It imparts a fabulous flavor.

I then like to dip the leaves into bernaise sause - heavy on the tarragon. Others like them with mayonaisse or plain melted butter.