How to Prepare an Artichoke for Cooking

Ingredients

Artichokes, of course

Adapted From: oceanmist.com

Description
With just a little preparation, fresh Artichokes can be easy to cook, just follow these step-by-step instructions.

Preparation
Decide if you need to cook just one Artichoke or multiple Artichokes at a time. Either way, you can cook Artichokes ahead and store them in your refrigerator for several days before eating them or using them in a recipe.

Take your fresh Artichoke and rinse it well under cold water. If you have one handy, we even recommend using any soft kitchen brush and giving the choke a quick brush down to remove the natural, light film an Artichoke produces while growing. This can give the choke a bitter taste if not removed.

-Top and tail the Artichoke with your knife: With a sharp, serrated kitchen knife, cut about one inch from the top of the Artichoke.

Then, trim the stem about one-half inch or remove the stem if you need it to sit up on a plate for stuffing or filling.-Remember, the Artichoke stem is a continuation of the Heart, so don't cut it off unless you need you to

.-For restaurant-style presentation of Artichokes, take any scissors or kitchen shears and snip off the thorns on the tip of the Artichoke petals (Note: this step is optional, as the thorns tend to soften with cooking). 

-Many cooks like to also rub the cut portion of the Artichoke with the juice of a fresh lemon to prevent it from browning. Again, this step is optional.

 -Lastly, don't be afraid to spread open the petals slightly to allow any seasoning you may use to fall in between the Artichoke petals for flavor.

-Now, your Artichoke is ready to cook!

-Don’t forget you can do many things with a cooked Artichoke to add flavor, such as stuff or finish them off on the grill. They also store for several days in the fridge!