Recipe: Artichokeys!

In honor of Fried Chicken Day, yesterday, I made some tasty oven fried chicken. <--that recipe is SO tasty! I use those breading seasonings on fish, too. A little spice, a little zing, and oh-so-tasty! Keep that one in your back pocket to spice up ordinary breaded chicken, for sho!

Anyways... I am a Food Network & Cooking Channel addict. Usually around lunch time is time for the cartoons to change for my sanity, so I kick on a little Guy's Big Bite or Cooking For Real. Love them! Sometimes I catch Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. I feel like every time I watch crazy-haired Anne Burrell, she's making something with artichokes, and it looks SO good. But she's also a pro chef & takes all these extra steps for this, that, and the other, and all I see are the dishes piling up. Yuck. Hubby already makes fun of me for using a million knives & bowls when I cook. Wah Wah goes the dude that has to clean up, since I cooked... It would be nice to have a cooking show staff to clean up my mess afterwards. Maybe I can pay them in Trident Layers...

Well, lo & behold, artichokes were on sale a week ago and I picked two up. I've never done anything with a whole artichoke, except stab myself with the little prickly leaf when I picked it up at the store. Ok. Now I know they have weird thorny tips. I had no idea how to tell if I got a "good" one, so as usual, I harassed the produce guy to find out. Then in normal random conversation with my friend, she said she steamed them and then dipped them in some mayo or melted butter. Yum. Ok. I can do that! So when I actually got them out last night, I needed to know for how long? How do I know when are they done? Hello Google Search. And thank you for taking me to my boyfriend, I mean.... Tyler Florence....

Whoaaaaa Dreaaaaaaaaaaaaaam Weaver...

What? Artichokes? Oh yeah.... Sorry.

So Tyler, or TyFlo as I like to call him (because everyone deserves a JLo nickname), has a lovely little recipe for your artichokes. It's handsome, Oh...no... I mean... easy, tasty, and just takes a some time to steam. No problemo!

Steamed Whole Artichokes - by Tyler Florence

• Prep Time: 15 min
  Cook Time: 40 min
  Servings: 2-4
  
  Ingredients4 sprigs parsley
  4 garlic cloves2 bay leaves2 lemons, cut in half1/4 cup white wine2 tablespoons olive oil1 quart chicken broth or waterSalt and pepper, to taste2 whole artichokes
  
  

  Directions

  Put the parsley, garlic, bay leaves, lemons, wine, oil and broth in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Season the liquid with salt and pepper. In the meantime prepare the artichokes.

  Wash artichokes under cold water. Using a heavy stainless steel knife, cut off the stems close to the base. Pull off the lower petals that are small and tough. Cut off the top inch of the artichoke and rub with half a lemon to preserve the green color. Alternatively, you may put the artichokes in acidulated water. If you wish, trim the thorny tips of the petals with kitchen shears.

  Place the artichokes in the steaming liquid, bottom up. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. The artichokes are done when a knife is inserted into the base and there is no resistance.

  To eat, pull off a leaf and scrape the meat off the tender end with your front teeth. Dip the ends of the leaves in lemon juice and melted butter if desired. When you reach the center cone of purple prickly leaves, remove it. This is the choke that protects the heart. Now, scrape away the thistle fuzz covering the artichoke heart. The heart is the meatiest part of the artichoke. Steamed artichokes may be served hot or cold.

  I threw these in the pot and then worked on my chicken. Everything ended up being done right around the same time, and well before the Hubs got home. Bingo Bango Bongo. I love it when that happens. I tried both melted butter and mayo dippings, as well as some honey mustard and blue cheese dressing. All were tasty, but with all the yumminess that they steamed in, it didn't need any dippings. I just did it because I like to dip.
  
  How awesome would these be for your next little get together? Easy, Tasty, and you can still eat them when they're cold. Not to mention how pretty they look! Who needs flowers?! Wait...I do! Well, artichokes are not too bad to look at after trim all the scariness off.