Steamed Artichokes With Grainy Mustard And Bacon Dressing Food

EASY STEAMED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Prepare artichokes for steaming: Snap off tough outer leaves. Using a serrated knife, cut off top 1/3 of artichoke. Snip remaining sharp or spiky tips using kitchen shears. Trim stem so artichoke stands upright. Rub cut surfaces with lemon to prevent discoloration. Repeat with remaining artichokes and lemon.
• Set a steamer basket in a large pot; add enough water so it reaches just below the basket. Squeeze lemon juice into water and add 1 tablespoon salt; bring to a boil. Place artichokes in steamer basket, stem-side up. Cover pot, and steam until heart is tender when pierced with a tip of a paring knife, and inner leaves pull out easily, 25 to 35 minutes; add more water to pot, if necessary. Serve warm or at room temperature with Easy Hollandaise or melted butter, if desired.

STEAMED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Set a steamer basket over rapidly simmering water with 1/2 lemon, a few parsley stems and 2 smashed garlic cloves in the water. Trim 4 large artichokes, removing the stems. Stand upright in the basket. Cover and steam over medium heat, adding more water as needed, until tender, about 45 minutes. Serve with melted butter for dipping.

STEAMED ARTICHOKES WITH MAYONNAISE-MUSTARD SAUCE

Steps:

• Place one to two inches of water into a large pot with a tight-fitting lid and add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and whole peppercorns to the water.
• Insert the steaming basket and place artichokes and trimmed stems inside the basket. If you don't have a steamer, it also works to place the artichokes directly into the water, bottoms down.
• With lid off, heat until water boils, then put lid on and turn heat down to low to maintain a simmer.
• Steam or simmer for 25-30 minutes or until a sharp knife can easily pierce bottoms of the artichokes near the stems. To be sure, test them all. Larger artichokes will take longer to cook. Remove hot artichokes from the pot with tongs.
• To make the sauce: Mix about one part of yellow mustard into six parts of good mayonnaise. The sauce should be light yellow and not taste like either mayonnaise or mustard, but like a new sauce all its own. Add more of either ingredient as needed to get the "new" sauce.

STEAMED ARTICHOKES WITH VINAIGRETTE DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Lay an artichoke on its side on a cutting board. Using a large, sharp knife, cut away the entire top quarter in one slice. Rub the top with the cut lemon. Cut off the stem at the bottom, so the artichoke will stand upright, and rub the bottom with lemon. Pull off the tough bottom leaves (bracts). Then, using scissors, cut away the thorny end of each remaining bract. Rub the edges with lemon.
• Bring two inches of water to a boil in a steamer or pasta pot, and place the artichokes in the steaming basket. If they are too big to fit, place them directly in the water. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes or until a leaf easily pulls away. Remove from the heat. Serve hot or at room temperature with a sauce for dipping the leaves. Use your teeth to scrape the flesh from the bottom of the leaf. Have a bowl or plate on the side for the discarded leaves. When you reach the papery leaves that cover the heart in the middle, cut them away along with the choke and discard. Divvy up the heart and enjoy.
• Whisk together the vinegar, salt, Dijon mustard and garlic. Whisk in the mayonnaise, yogurt and olive oil, and blend well. Taste, adjust salt, and add pepper. Use as a dip for artichokes or other vegetables.

SIMPLE STEAMED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Cut stem from artichokes and discard, making sure the bottom of each artichoke is flat. Cut top 1 inch (or so) of the artichoke and discard. Snip the thorny ends from each artichoke leaf with a pair of kitchen scissors.
• Fill the bottom of a pot with a couple of inches of water, adding garlic, lemon juice, and bay leaf to the water. Place a steamer basket in the pot, making sure that the water does not flow over the bottom of the steamer basket.
• Place the artichokes in the basket, resting on the flattened bottoms.
• Bring water to a boil, cover the pot, and cook until the leaves can be easily pulled from the artichoke, 20 to 30 minutes.

MOM'S BEST DIPPING SAUCE FOR STEAMED ARTICHOKE

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together in a glass or ceramic bowl.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
• Chill for at least one hour.

STEAMED ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• Trim and halve 2 artichokes. Season with salt; place cut-side down in a bowl with some lemon wedges and thyme sprigs. Pour in 1/3 cup each white wine and olive oil; cover and microwave 20 minutes. Mix a bit of the cooking liquid with mayonnaise for a dipping sauce.
• Photograph By Antonis Achilleos