Some people are puzzled on how to prepare artichoke. Because of its unusual form, some do not know how to enjoy them. They are not cut up before or even after cooking so they remain intact even after they have been served at the dinner plate, which leaves some in confusion, especially ones who are not familiar with this vegetable.
But, preparing this vegetable is really very simple. You just need to remember that it is not prepared through simple boiling. If you want your veggie to taste good, you need to prepare it properly. By knowing how to properly prepare this veggie, you will not only improve your culinary skills but you will also be able to try out a seemingly puzzling dish, which you can enjoy with your buddies.
Prepping
Instead of just boiling the veggie in plain water, you need to add some simple ingredients to make it taste better. Here is what you will need as well as the instructions on how to prep this veggie.
Get the Ingredients
The ingredients that you will need are: 2 cloves garlic, 1 lemon, some black pepper and 2-4 large artichokes.
Before cutting the lemon in half, roll it on your cutting board using your palm. Put a slight pressure while rolling the lemon so that you can loosen up the juice inside, making it easier for you to squeeze the lemon.
Don’t crush the garlic. Peeling off the skin would be enough.
As for the artichokes, pull off the small leaves at the stem then cut the stem until only an inch is left. Cut up the tips of the leaves, which are thorned, to avoid getting pricked when eating them. Cut off the top of the veggie then set them aside while you prepare the pot for boiling.
Prep the Pot of Water
Put some water in a pot or pan then put the black peppers in. Afterwards, add the cloves of garlic and the lemon juice. Throw in the lemon rind as well to make the veggie more flavorful. Add the veggie then weigh them down using a pot cover that is smaller than the pot you are using to boil the veggies. This will allow the veggies to cook evenly by avoiding them from floating around.
Boil
Bring the artichoke to a boil then bring the heat down. Let it simmer for 35 minutes before removing it from the stove.
Serve them with your favorite dip and enjoy.
Eating
Eating this veggie is as easy as preparing it. You just need to place it on a plate with the dipping sauce beside it. Pull off the leaf that is placed at the bottom, nearest the stem and dip it in your choice of dipping sauce. Then, use your teeth to scrape the ‘meat’ of the leaf and avoid consuming the whole leaf.
Artichoke can be dipped in cold or warm dips. Cream cheese dip, spinach dip and baked dips are great dips for this boiled veggie. Better try them all out to figure out which one you love the most.