Artichoke

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Artichokes were my perennial curiosity. I would see them on shelves in stores - hold them, ponder about how the hell to cook it, see the price, and walk away. Well, if I am paying all that money, I need to know I can cook it, and what I cook will be edible. Fair enough? A couple of weeks ago I let go of reason, and picked up a few.  After all, the internet is an oasis of information. I was not wrong. I found simply recipes where she beautifully gives step-by-step version of cooking, as well as eating artichokes. I followed her method to a tee.

It is rather simple once you know how to go about it. The taste is difficult to explain, but similar to somewhere around the area of peas, avocado, etc. I think. A rich vegetable protein is the best I can do. You can read about artichokes in wikipedia here

It is described as a perennial thistle, and I couldn't help but smile. My second year in Tennessee, a friend and I drove down to Mississippi on the Natchez Trace. Fantastic times! Both of us being wild flower enthusiasts, we closely looked out for them, and sighed 'oohs and aahs' at every spotting - including dandelions and thistles too.  My friend, Marilyn, would forgive me liking dandelions, but when it came to thistles I had something else coming.  The minute I started photographing them, she would say with fervor - repeatedly, constantly "it is a weed, a farmer's nightmare!" Otherwise excited about stopping for pictures - if my target were thistles, she would not be budged.  Apparently, in her gardening days, she said she had ghastly experiences trying to weed these, and she hated it with passion.  It is kind of a joke between us - how I like thistles, and how she hates them. She now sends me birthday cards with thistle pictures on it :)

  Therefore from thistles to artichokes, it's a love that cannot be explained.  I love the way they look.  I guess it's time to send Marilyn a card picturing an artichoke!   

Ingredients:
Artichoke – 2
Bay Leaf – 1
Garlic – 2- 3 pods
Lemon – 1
Salt – to taste


Method:
1. Chop off the pointed end of artichoke globe and rub lemon juice to avoid blackening while you work on the scales
2. Snip off the pointed edge of each scale and boil it in enough water with bay leaf, garlic, lemon juice and salt
3. Once cooked you can eat the fleshy end of each leaf/scale. When you get to the heart of the globe, the base is covered with hairy choke which should be spooned off before you enjoy the fleshy base.
4. You can dip it in mayonnaise and enjoy.
5. It took me about 45 minutes to cook.