The French mystery of eating the steamed leaves of an artichoke

Level: Easy
Total time: 35min + 30min cool down

I still remember the first time I saw it many years ago. I walked past a typical French café in Paris and at one of the window table sat this very classy French couple with whole artichokes in their plates. It looked weird to me but I had to try. Steamed leaves of an artichoke has become a spring seasonal classic ever since. It is an extremely healthy vegetable; Among lots of benefits, it has strong antioxidant effects and helps reducing cholesterol. Kids also love to eat this vegetable as it is fun to go leaf by leaf.

THE TIPS TO SUCCEED

1: Make sure you stick a sharp item into the bottom of the artichoke to check that it has cooked to tender

2: It is better to cook it ready at least 30 minutes before you are going to eat. The artichoke leaves are too hot to eat straight from the steamer

Let’s get started

Ingredients

• 4 pcs Artichoke
• 3 tbsp Red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp Wholegrain Mustard
• 10 tbsp Olive oil (Adjust to get vinegar level to your taste)
• Salt and Pepper

How to do it

Start by cleaning the artichokes. Hold it by the stem and fill it up with water before to violently shake it with its head down. Then hold the artichokes on the edge of a table and break of the stem with your hand. This way you get to remove the thick fibers in the bottom of the artichoke.

Put some water in your pressure cooker or steamer and add the artichokes heads down. Cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes. But the cooking time will vary depending on your equipment so you should pick the bottom with a sharp object to check that it is tender.

Take the artichokes out and put them aside (still heads down) to cool down for at least 30 minutes.

To make the dipping sauce add the vinegar, mustard and some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add slowly the olive oil while whisking vigorously with a fork until it thickens.

How to serve the steamed leaves of an artichoke

It is served simply plain in the plate. You tear off a leaf, dip it in the sauce and then drag off the “meat” from the leaf with your teeth. Once all the leaves are gone you cut away the hairy part around the heart of the artichoke and eat this last precious part of the vegetable.