how to clean and trim fresh baby artichokes in 8 easy steps

Instruction by Chef Erin Eastland
Photos by Amy Sheridan

In the winter, we often buy frozen artichoke hearts for baked pasta dishes, or we use Les Moulins Mahjoub Organic Artichoke Leaves for quick tapas with hummus, sun dried tomatoes and pita bread. But in the summer, when artichokes are at their peak, we find ourselves cleaning and trimming heaps and heaps of fresh artichokes for our Sun Gold Tomato and Baby Artichoke Crostini with Fresh Ricotta Recipe or just for serving them with olives, salumi and meyer lemon aioli for dipping. The cleaning process can be a bit daunting if you’ve never done it, but Cube Cafe’s Chef Erin Eastland has broken it down into 8 easy steps. Here you will learn how to clean and trim fresh baby artichokes in no time and soon you’ll be an old pro!

Do let us know what your favorite recipes are for those freshly cleaned baby artichokes! And don’t forget to post photos!

You will need a serrated knife and a medium sauce pan for this recipe.

Directions

1. Add 8 cups cold water and the 4 lemons, squeezed juice and rinds, to a medium sauce pan. Season with salt until it tastes like the ocean. Reserve one lemon half for the cleaning process.
2. Cut the top ⅓ of each artichoke off with a serrated knife and rub the top with the reserved lemon half.
3. Cut off the stem, leaving about ½ inch still attached, and again rub with the reserved lemon half.

1. Strip off the outer leaves until you are left with a yellowish green and fairly small artichoke body. It should be tender and the leaves soft.
2. Using a vegetable peeler, trim off the outer stem.
3. Place the artichoke in the lemon water and repeat until you have cleaned all 10. Heat the lemon water and artichokes until boiling, turn down the heat and simmer until you can insert a paring knife easily into the center of the artichoke, about 35-45 minutes. Be careful not to overcook or they will mush!
4. Remove artichokes from water, letting them cool and drain in the sink.

Cut into quarters or leave whole for your favorite artichoke recipes.

Happy cooking,
Erin