Marinated Artichokes 

These artichokes are excellent in salads, with cold cuts, or as part of an antipasto assortment. The artichokes will last at least two weeks in the refrigerator. If baby artichokes are not available, substitute medium artichokes, cut into eight wedges.

NotesHow to Prepare Artichokes:

Artichokes may seem mysterious, but they are not difficult to prepare once you know how. When buying artichokes, make sure that they look fresh and green. Touches of purple are natural, but avoid those that look dried out or have dark brown or black spots. Look at the stems to see that there are no holes from insects.

I like to buy medium artichokes. Behemoth artichokes are usually too much for one person to eat, and they can cook unevenly, with the outer leaves soft before the hearts are done. For braising, small artichokes are best.

Artichokes darken when they are cooked, so I don’t see the point in rubbing them with a cut lemon or putting them in a bath of ice water with a squeezed lemon as is often recommended. But there is no harm in it either, so the choice is up to you. Avoid cooking artichokes in cast-iron or aluminum pots, which can react with the artichokes and discolor them.

To prepare whole artichokes:

With a serrated knife or very sharp chef’s knife, trim off the top ¾ to 1 inch of the artichoke leaves. With scissors, trim the pointed tops off the remaining leaves. Cut off the stems so that the artichokes can stand upright. With a vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife, remove the tough outer skin of the stems and set the stems aside. The stems can be chopped and added to stuffings, or just steamed along with the artichokes. Bend back and snap off the small leaves around the base and one or two rows of darker green leaves all around the artichoke.

Gently spread the leaves open. Rinse well in cool water. If removing the choke, before rinsing, use a small knife with a rounded tip to scrape out the fuzzy leaves in the center.

To prepare artichoke hearts:

With a serrated knife or very sharp chef’s knife, cut off the top ¾ to 1 inch of the artichoke leaves. With scissors, trim the pointed tops off the remaining leaves. Rinse the artichokes under cold water, spreading the leaves open. Bend back and snap off all of the dark green leaves until you reach the pale yellowish cone of tender leaves at the center of the artichoke. With a vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife, peel off the tough outer skin around the base and stems. Leave the stems attached to the base. Trim off the ends of the stems. Cut the artichokes in half lengthwise and scoop out the fuzzy chokes. Cut the artichokes into quarters, wedges, or lengthwise slices according to the recipe.

Cooking Methodpreserving

CostInexpensive

Total Timea day or more

Make Ahead RecipeYes

OccasionBuffet, Casual Dinner Party

Recipe Courseantipasto/mezze, cold appetizer

Dietary Considerationdiabetic, egg-free, gluten-free, healthy, lactose-free, low calorie, low carb, low cholesterol, vegetarian

Five Ingredients or LessYes

Taste and Texturejuicy, savory, tart

Type of Dishvegetable