Steamed Artichokes With Tarragon Butter Food

STEAMED ARTICHOKES WITH LEMON BUTTER

Steps:

• Pull off any brown or very tough outer leaves from one artichoke. Use a sharp knife to cut off the top 1 inch of artichoke, then rub with the cut side of the lemon. Use kitchen shears or scissors to cut the pointy tops off the remaining outer layer of leaves. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to peel the stem down to its tender pale-colored core; immediately rub the stem with a lemon half. Use your fingers to separate the center leaves to expose the fuzzy pale choke sitting on top of the heart. Use a grapefruit spoon (or other spoon) to scoop out the choke, and rub a little lemon juice over the exposed flesh. Repeat with the remaining artichokes.
• Fill a medium pot with 2 inches of water, place a steamer basket inside, and bring water to a simmer. Place the artichokes bottoms down on the rack, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer over low heat until you can easily pull off an artichoke leaf, 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the steamer basket and transfer to a serving platter.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic and salt. Slowly whisk in butter. To serve, have everyone pull off the leaves and dunk the meaty bottoms into the lemon butter, swirling to mix butter with each dip (the butter will separate as it sits).

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 WITH TARRAGON BUTTER

Steps:

• Prepare artichokes Using a serrated knife, cut off top quarter of each artichoke. Use kitchen shears to trim sharp tips of artichoke leaves. Remove any small leaves from bottoms of artichokes and trim stems so artichokes can stand upright.
• Prepare steamer Fill a large pot with about 2 inches of water and add a sprig of tarragon and a pinch of salt. Set steamer basket in pot (make sure water doesn't seep through holes). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a rapid simmer.
• Steam artichokes Stand artichokes upright in steamer and season with salt. Top each with a lemon slice. Cover pot and steam until bottoms of artichokes are very tender when pierced to the center with the tip of a paring knife, 35 to 50 minutes. (Add more hot water if necessary to maintain level during cooking.)
• Meanwhile, make butter Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then stir in chopped tarragon and season with salt.
• Serve Place an artichoke on each plate with some lemon wedges and serve warm tarragon butter on the side for dipping.

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 ARTICHOKE

Steps:

• Cut the top quarter off the artichoke with a serrated knife. Snap off and discard any battered outer leaves. Using scissors, trim the remaining barbed leaf-ends of the artichoke. Cut the stem flush with the artichoke body. Rub the cut surfaces with a lemon half.
• Fit a medium pot large enough to hold the artichoke with a steamer basket. Slice the remaining lemon and use it to line the steamer. Arrange the herb sprigs and garlic over the lemon. Put the artichoke stem-end up in the center of the steamer. Add enough water to come up to the bottom of the steamer. Cover and steam over medium-high heat, adding more water if necessary, until outer leaves can be easily removed from the artichoke and the base can be readily pierced with a knife, about 40 minutes. Serve the artichoke warm with melted butter or oil, or chilled with mayonnaise or oil.
• Serving Suggestion: melted butter, fruity extra-virgin olive, or mayonnaise .