Artichokes

There is no summer grilling without nutrient-dense steamed or roasted artichokes. While vacationing in lake Chelan, we prepared them for one of our dinners. Artichokes contain some of the most powerful, polyphenol-type antioxidants & their antioxidant load is greater than that of red wine & chocolate (!). Artichokes are also great sources of fiber, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, & potassium. One medium cooked artichoke contains about 10 grams of dietary fiber (it's recommended men consume 30-38 grams/day & women consume 21-25 grams/day).
Our favorite way of steaming them involves a stove top. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Place artichokes in pot above water on steamer rack. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon into boiling water. Cook until tender, about 45 minutes.
Artichokes may also be roasted in an oven. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Drizzle olive oil & stuff chopped garlic between the artichokes' petals. Sprinkle top with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Tightly wrap & seal each individual artichoke with heavy-duty foil. Place in pre-heated oven & bake for 1.5 hrs. Remove from oven & let cool before unwrapping.
We usually serve the artichokes with the following dip (it also works well on asparagus): place 1/2 cup of mayonnaise (or vegenaise), 1/2 cup of plain yogurt, a squeezed juice of a half a lemon, 2-3 teaspoons of yellow mustard (for color & flavor) into a small bowl. Mix well. Dip the cooked artichoke petals & heart pieces into the sauce prior to eating.

Sidenotes:

Rinse well before preparing artichokes.

Trim them by cutting off the top inch. Snip off petal thorns with scissors. Only remove stem if artichoke needs to stand upright for stuffing.

One or more of the following seasonings may be added to any of the cooking methods for additional flavor: Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, flavored broth, white wine, lemon juice, sea salt, chopped fresh parsley, chopped garlic.

To test for doneness, pierce base of artichoke with a fork - there should be no resistance. The artichoke petals should also come off easily when gently pulled.

To Eat: Enjoy one petal at a time, pulling the base of the petal through slightly clenched teeth to strip off the petal "meat." When you get to the "heart" of the artichoke (the round area at the base), scoop out the fuzzy top layer, then enjoy the delicious heart (the best part of an artichoke)!

Artichokes can be cooked ahead of time & stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days prior to serving, stuffing or finishing off on the grill.