Artichokes
Preparing for Cooking:
Remove the sharp outer top leaves by cutting about a quarter of the artichoke from the top -- a serrated knife works well. Trim the base so that your artichoke can stand up straight. Place in pan with about an inch and a half of salted water (opt: add a little lemon juice, olive oil or garlic to the water). Cover pot and steam artichokes for about 30 to 40 minutes (depending on size), or until bottoms of the artichoke are tender (test with a fork). Check the water levels often, as it's easy to forget about and let boil dry.
(Microwave - put a little water in a deep glass dish, and then cover with wrap. Cook one for about 4 min, two for 6-7 min).
Serve with melted butter (opt: add a little lemon juice and garlic), a mayonnaise style dressing or even a hollandaise sauce.
How To Eat An Artichoke
Pull off a leaf and dip the widest end into butter or sauce. Pull the leaf through your teeth, taking off the tenderest part. Discard the rest of the leaf. Continue with other leaves. As you get closer to the heart, remove the tiny leaves and the hairy choke from the heart. The rest is entirely edible.