Prepare Artichokes Correctly: You Should Pay Attention to This

Prepare artichokes correctly – you should pay attention to this

It doesn’t always have to be the pre-pickled artichokes from the supermarket. We will show you what you should consider when preparing it.

1. The dye cynarin found in artichokes can stain the skin. Therefore wear gloves. After that, start cleaning the artichokes: wash away dirt and sand under cold water and remove the inedible stalk and the so-called hay (fibrous tissue inside the artichokes). Breaking off the stem requires a lot of force and can also be done after cooking if necessary.
2. Next, the flower bud is cleaned: cut away the tough outer leaves. In addition, non-intact leaves with dark spots and the spines on the tips of the leaves must be removed.
3. Tip: Drizzle the cut surfaces with lemon juice so that they don’t discolor.
4. To cook the artichokes you need a stainless steel pot. Artichokes will react with aluminum pots, meaning they will discolor and taste slightly metallic after cooking.
5. To keep the leaves from opening as the artichokes cook, tie the string around them. Boil the prepared artichokes in salted water. Small artichokes cook for about 15 minutes, larger specimens need between 30 and 45 minutes. Artichokes are done when the leaves pull out easily.
6. Place the cooked artichokes on a kitchen towel or board to cool.

Artichoke with Lemon Garlic Dip

Many dips go well with the cooked artichokes, such as lemon-garlic dip. For this dip, you need one to two tablespoons of grated parmesan, garlic (as much as you like), about 70 grams of butter, and a little lemon juice.

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan.
2. Chop the garlic very finely and add to the butter. Fry it at a low temperature so it doesn’t burn.
3. Add the parmesan and lemon juice while stirring. Season the dip with white pepper and salt.
4. Enjoy the artichoke leaves with the dip. Enjoy your meal!