Seriously Simple: A perfect springtime first course
My grown daughter recently asked me how to prepare an artichoke. She loves eating them at restaurants but is intimidated to cook them at home, because she doesn't know how to properly clean and trim them. I reassured her that it couldn't be easier, offering the recipe below that makes anybody a pro in no time. Best of all, this is the season for fresh artichokes, so consider cooking up a few whole ones and serve them chilled, warm or even grilled.
Select globe artichokes that have tight, compact heads and tiny thorns. Don't worry if they are a little brown, which sometimes comes from a light frost before harvesting. You will usually find that these are the tastiest and have large hearts. While thornless artichokes are available, I find them to be less flavorful with little meat on the leaves and a small heart (my favorite part).
Cooked whole artichokes, with their delicate, mild flavor, are the perfect vehicle for a variety of sauces. This aioli is a garlic mayonnaise flavored with roasted red pepper. For a safe bet, try this tested favorite and then branch out with some different flavors. For variety, make a simple mixture of balsamic vinegar, olive oil and sea salt, or mayonnaise enriched with lemon, garlic and smoked chili powder. If pressed for time, use fresh ranch dressing and drizzle it with balsamic syrup or vinegar. Watch how fast those leaves disappear.
To eat a cooked artichoke, here are a few tips from a native Californian: pull the leaves off one by one and dip the base into the sauce. Remove the inner choke thistle and cut the heart into pieces to dip and enjoy.
If you want to grill these for an unusual smoky-sweet flavor, cook them 10 minutes less than directed, cool and cut in half, scooping out the hairy inner choke and the thorny inner leaves. Brush with olive oil, place the artichoke halves on a medium-high heat grill and grill for about 4 minutes on a side or until there are grill marks on the artichokes. At the table, provide a few bowls for guests to discard their leaves. I like to offer a variety of sauces so that everyone finds something to their taste.
• Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including "Seriously Simple Parties," and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.