haha cappy! you can stuff them too - although I'm not sure how healthy that is. we just stuff them with breadcrumb, garlic, seasonings and some oil - that's my favorite way to have them.
when we stuff then we just cut a little bit off the top to get some of the spikes off the top-most layers. other than that we'll just wash them in cold water. you have to cook them in a pot where they're packed close together (or they'll fall over and yo'ull lose all of the stuffing) and put a little bit of water into the bottom of the pot so you don't burn the bases. then just eat them layer by layer - i don't usually eat the leaves b.c they get tough but i'll "scrape them" and then eat the heart once i make it that far. (once you make it closer in to the heart the leaves are softer and easier to eat)
I didn't see artichokes at the market yesterday, but they should be coming into season right around now. Thanks for the reminder -- I'll have to keep an eye out.
LD, you're right on. Simple steaming is the best for fresh ones.
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