Some vegetables and I are just not meant to be friends.
This week, the hubby and I picked out artichokes to try. It started off innocently enough. I read this tutorial since I had no idea how to even go about cooking on of these bad boys.
I put the artichoke in a steam basket and put the lid on:
30 minutes later I had a perfectly steamed artichoke, which I placed on the table with some melted butter:
I tried eating it like the directions said. It tasted ok, but I felt like I was doing something wrong. Eventually I just started pulling the leaves off. They just kept coming and coming and coming and eventually I just ended up with this:
Even Tucker didn’t know what to do with it!
And that, my friends, concludes pick of the week fail #2.
Any suggestions for next week?
–Lindsay–
I’m so sorry younger a bad experience with artichoke! It’s one of my family’s favories.
What you do with the leaves is this: you pullmoff the leave and then dip the end I. The butter and scrape it off with your teeth. I’ll admit, there’s not a whole lot of flavor but I like it.
Then when you get down to the middle you’re left with the artichoke heart. That’s the coveted portion in my family. My mom likes them so much sometimes she’ll get jars of them. The heart is edible. It’s not my favorite portion but I take it from the rest of my family that a lot of people really like the heart.
I hope you give it another chance.
thanks for the tips!! i knew about the heart, but just couldn’t figure out what part it was exactly. i’ve still got one in my fridge so maybe i’ll do a little more research and give it another try
or i’ll just buy the kind in the jars 
I’m so sorry you had a bad experience with artichoke! It’s one of my family’s favories.
What you do with the leaves is this: you pullmoff the leave and then dip the end I. The butter and scrape it off with your teeth. I’ll admit, there’s not a whole lot of flavor but I like it.
Then when you get down to the middle you’re left with the artichoke heart. That’s the coveted portion in my family. My mom likes them so much sometimes she’ll get jars of them. The heart is edible. It’s not my favorite portion but I take it from the rest of my family that a lot of people really like the heart.
I hope you give it another chance.
Sorry about the double post. I saw a type and tried too late to delete it.
Hi Lindsay, LOVE the confused look on Tucker’s face. Awww. Personally, I think fresh artichokes are so much more work than they’re worth. Love the hearts, but still….a whole lotta mess for not alot of satisfaction. Have a great weekend.
haha, that’s what i’m hearing
i might try just buying the hearts and make myself some spinach and artichoke dip 
i was just going to say that you can’t go wrong with spinach & artichoke dip!
i’ve never tried cooking raw artichokes. it’s a little intimidating to me, and it’s so easy to buy a jar of delicious artichoke hearts! 
I’ve never had success with artichokes either…they seem like so much effort and then not that good!
i agree! glad i’m not the only one
I love artichokes and found an awesome recipe in one of The Sopranos cookbooks. If you attempt again, try seasoning the artichoke before/while you are steaming. I use garlic salt, parmesan cheese, etc, lemon juice, etc. It’s worth a shot. But I mean, you really can’t go wrong with canned hearts. Still awesome.
ooooh there’s an idea. i still have one in the fridge so we’ll see if i’m brave enough