Artichokes and Hollandaise Sauce

Not everyone eats artichokes regularly, or at all, or at least at home.  Artichokes are a Sicilian thing.  Really, they're giant thistles with serious spikes on the end of each leaf that hurt like a *bleep*.   I often wonder what made someone decide to try to eat a visibly dangerous, tough exteriored weed for the first time.  I have mentioned in passing on this blog that this is one of the things I love to eat, but as I was enjoying one yesterday (my daughter and I ate them for breakfast- that's a first), I thought that many people probably don't know how to  prepare them.  Here's how I do it:

But, how do I pick one at the store, first?  It depends.  I know what I look for, but here's a concise explanation from www.seemonterrey.com:


In spring and winter, look for artichokes that are compact, firm and heavy for their size; summer and fall artichokes tend to be flared and conical in shape. Choose spring and summer artichokes with an even green color. Fall and winter artichokes may be touched by frost — winter-kissed with a whitish, blistered appearance — and show light bronze to brown on the outer leaves. These are often tender and tasty, and considered to be premier artichokes.

Ok, so first, I cut the stem off the bottom, so it can sit nicely on a plate when it's done.  Then, I cut the other end off the whole artichoke, maybe 1/2- 1 inch; I do this for two reasons: 1.  It gets most of the spikes off.  2.  I can then set it, balanced, upside-down in a steamer.  I find that cutting the tips off with a knife is actually rather hard to do- I likely just have cheap knives.  I often just use my kitchen scissors.

Usually, I cut off the tips of all the outlying leaves with spikes at this point.  Yesterday, I waited until it was cooked, and it was a lot easier!

Another thing I learned recently was the best thing to steam them in (by the way, I tried boiling them once- they turned out soggy and gross).  I used to use the shallow, hangs out at the top of my pot-type steamer.  This is fine, but it takes a lot of water in the pot- at least I would put a lot in- and sometimes, they just wouldn't fit with the lid on.  My mom came this summer, and she used the stock pot with the strainer in it instead.  I was amazed at this idea- mostly that it had never occurred to me.  They all fit with room to spare, and I don't need very much water in the pot.  Some water does go over the strainer "line" onto the artichokes, but it is very little and on the tougher part of the leaves anyway.  I leave them in for about 40 minutes- those suckers are really tough!

When they're done, I typically just yank open the leaves a little to let the steam/heat out and serve them with butter or hollandaise sauce- the latter I hadn't tried with artichokes until I watched Julie and Julia, then I had to try it!  I found Julia Child's recipe, or at least one of her recipes (I think I tried a harder version of hers once, or I just botched this one up somehow) that is super easy to make and tastes great.  The little powder packages at the store are gross, and likely they have flour or something in them anyway.

So how does one eat an artichoke?  Pull off a leaf, dip in sauce, etc., and scrape your teeth along the leaf to get all the soft meaty parts off (if this doesn't work, it's undercooked or occasionally, the outer leaves are just stubborn, so try another, more internal leaf).  As you get more to the center, some of the leaves may break at about halfway because they are so tender- that's the best thing!  Once you've eaten the leaves, take a spoon and scrape the "fur" (the choke, which will make you choke if you get any in your mouth) off- if you're doing this right, it will kind of peel off in parts, making it easy.  What is left is the heart, which is a giant mass of what you've been scraping off the leaves... heaven.  I'm really not a fan of marinated hearts from a jar, which is what most people eat.  Fresh is my favorite.

Julia Child's Hollandaise Sauce
from Julia and Jacque, Cooking at Home

• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, if needed (or more)
• 6 -8 ounces very soft unsalted butter
• 1 dash cayenne pepper
• salt, to taste
• fresh ground white pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. 1
   Whisk the yolks, water, and lemon juice in the saucepan for a few moments, until thick and pale (this prepares them for what is to come).
2. 2
   Set the pan over moderately low heat and continue to whisk at reasonable speed, reaching all over the bottom and insides of the pan, where the eggs tend to overcook.
3. 3
   To moderate the heat, frequently move the pan off the burner for a few seconds, and then back on. (If, by chance, the eggs seem to be cooking too fast, set the pan in the bowl of cold water to cool the bottom, then continue).
4. 4
   As they cook, the eggs will become frothy and increase in volume, and then thicken. When you can see the pan bottom through the streaks of the whisk and the eggs are thick and smooth, remove from the heat.
5. 5
   By spoonfuls, add the soft butter, whisking constantly to incorporate each addition. As the emulsion forms, you may add the butter in slightly larger amounts, always whisking until fully absorbed. Continue incorporating butter until the sauce has thickened to the consistency you want.
6. 6
   Season lightly with salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper, whisking in well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding droplets of lemon juice if needed. Serve lukewarm.