In Season: Artichokes

Halved and Quartered Artichokes - Hero Banner

In Season: Artichokes

Artichokes are the immature, edible flower buds of the Cynara scolymus plant, a striking member of the thistle family. They come in a range of sizes and colors, but the most popular variety is the Green Globe, prized for its large, round choke, mild flavor and thick, meaty leaves. Purple artichokes are often more tender and slightly nuttier than green varieties.

Bright green artichokes in the Produce Department

Buy

When selecting an artichoke, look for one that feels heavy for its size and features tightly closed, vibrant green leaves. Avoid artichokes with leaves that are opening, browning or feel dry. The leaves should remain tightly packed and compact against the bud. If the leaves have started to open or flare out, the bud has matured, likely resulting in a choke that is overly large and tough.

Did You Know?

When you squeeze an artichoke, the leaves should squeak – a clear sign that it’s fresh and well hydrated.

Store

At home, place unwashed, untrimmed artichokes in a perforated or open plastic bag in the coldest part of your refrigerator. To extend their life, store them like a bouquet by placing the stems in a jar of water.

A home cook cutting the stem and top off an artichoke with a chef's knife

Prep

To prepare a fresh artichoke for cooking, cut off the top inch and stem. Using kitchen shears, snip the remaining thorny tips (about ⅓") off the leaves. Pull off any small, dark leaves near the base. Rinse the artichoke under cold running water, gently pulling the leaves apart to clean out any dirt. If you're not cooking it immediately, place it cut-side down in a bowl with 1-2" of cold water and a splash of fresh lemon juice to prevent browning.

Cook

Artichokes are commonly steamed or boiled stem-side down in a pot of salted water with a generous splash of lemon juice added to it. Cook until a leaf pulls off easily and the base is fork-tender (up to 40 min.).

Artichokes may also be roasted for a deeper, caramelized flavor. Steam them until just barely tender, coat lightly in olive oil, and roast on a baking sheet in a preheated 450° oven until the hearts are tender and the leaf tips are well browned (about 15 min.).

Dipping roasted artichoke petals in creamy sauce or dip

Serve

Pull off the petals one by one and dip the base of each into your favorite sauce, such as melted butter, vinaigrette or mayonnaise. Using your teeth, scrape the tender flesh away from the fibrous part of each petal. When you reach the tender inner leaves with purple tips, you can remove them all at once. Dip and eat only the light-colored parts of these leaves. Finally, scrape away and discard the fuzzy "choke" to reveal the heart, the most flavorful part of the artichoke. Dip and enjoy.