Have you ever eaten an artichoke?
Not artichoke dip.. but an actual artichoke?
Are you intimidated just looking at one? 
Last month while doing our regular Costco grocery shopping, I realized that I hadn’t had an artichoke in a while and I really wanted to re-visit cooking them. So, I grabbed a 4-pack (knowing I would be the only one eating them). But I didn’t want to just steam it in the microwave (because microwaves are bad) and be done with it. I wanted it to be delicious. I wanted it to be worth the work. 
So I went to the internet of course in search of a great how-to. I happened upon the perfect tutorial here at Boulder Locavore. She only has a few pictures, but between her simple, yet pretty photos and her descriptive instructions I needed to look no further. Within the next couple of weeks I’d devoured all four of my artichokes… and loved every bite!
Steamed Artichoke
This Steamed Artichoke is worth the work! Serve it up as an appetizer with melted butter - yum!
Ingredients
- 1 artichoke
- 1-2 fresh lemons
- Garlic peeled and slice each clove in half
- Sea salt
- Butter melted
Instructions
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Prep your artichokes (follow instructions here for the perfect tutorial). In a steamer, place your artichokes about an inch above the water.
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If you are a garlic lover like myself, place 8-10 halves of garlic clove in the leaves throughout the entire artichoke (more or less according to preference... I used lots!).
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Juice the lemons and drizzle liberally over the entire artichoke. I cut the juiced lemons into wedges and placed them on top of and around the artichokes. Sprinkle with sea salt.
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Steam the artichokes for 45-60 minutes. I wanted mine nice and tender, so I chose to steam them for an hour.
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When they are finished, pluck each leaf, bite off the meat and enjoy dipped in melted butter, lemon juice, or a lemon/mayo mixture. When you reach the center, discard the thin leaves and "fuzzy" topping to expose the "heart" of the artichoke - that's where the good stuff is! Hang in there until you get there, it's worth it. Promise!
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Enjoy :)
Melanie M Dougall
I have a delicious recipe to share with everyone.
Into steamer water, put 8-9 cloves, garlic powder or fresh crushed garlic, mexican oregano, balsamic vinegar be liberal, olive oil just a few tsps vegetable broth (optional). Place the artichokes top side down on the steamer basket which reduces the amount of cooking time by 1/2. I serve this with a curried mayo, but that’s just me. People love love love this and I bring this often to parties, or those who are recovering from surgery.
Graciella
Awesome and delicious 😋 my husband and I tried it and loved it. Will do again. Thank You for sharing
Hannah
I’ve always wondered how to do this! And it’s so beautiful to look at too!! Definitely looks worth it! I’m gonna look for one of these babies next time I go shopping for produce. I also want to learn how to use Aloe in cooking.
Yvonne
They are sooooo yummy!!! I love them, but a lot of people think they are too much work. The heart of it is worth all of the work, it’s so delicious.