How to trim artichokes

Posted on November 17, 2013 in Demonstration, Veg. & Pulses

Before cooking artichokes, you’ve got to clean them. Their sharp outer leaves and the prickly choke inside needs to be removed. the following pictures demonstrate the trimming process. I am sure that most people prefer frozen ones that are sold in the food stored, packed and already cleaned. But is the taste the same?

Step 1: The best season for the artichokes in Greece is from March to May. The purple artichokes, like the one in the picture, are considered more tasty than the yellow ones. Cut the top part of each artichoke. See where exactly the knife is placed.

Step 2: This is how the flower looks when you cut its top. The inner part (the bloom) of the flower must be removed.

Step 3: Remove also the outer hard leaves of the artichokes. Stop removing leaves if you see that the remaining ones are tender.

Step 4: Use a spoon in order to open the flower and remove its bloom. This is the hardest part.

Step 5: Trim the stem of each artichoke and place all of them in salted water, which is mixed with lemon. If you skip this step the artichokes will become brown in their inner part.