All you need for great artichokes are a few simple ingredients.

Simply Perfect Artichokes

Serves 2

• 2 artichokes
• 1 lemon, cut in half
• 1 green onion, sliced, including green part
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups water

Kitchen Equipment

• a very sharp knife
• kitchen shears
• a large pot with lid

Trim the Artichokes

Trim the artichokes by placing them on a cutting board, and slicing the stem even with the base of the artichoke. Slice approximately 1/2 inch off the top of the artichoke. Using your kitchen shears cut the tips off each artichoke leaf.

Cook the Artichokes

Place the artichokes in a large saucepan. Add the lemon and green onions. Drizzle each one with a tablespoon of the olive oil and sprinkle each with a teaspoon of the salt. Pour the water over the tops.

Place the artichokes on the stove and bring to a boil. When the water is boiling, cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. Steam artichokes at a high simmer for 60 – 90 minutes, depending on the size of the artichoke, and how soft you like your artichokes. Pull a leaf of the artichoke after 45 minutes and test it. If they are extremely large you may need to cook them longer. If you cook them longer they will be softer, which is the way my husband prefers his artichokes.

To Serve

You may serve the artichokes immediately with melted butter or hollandaise sauce for dipping each leaf. I prefer an easy blender hollandaise. The recipe is below. If you are packing the artichokes for a picnic or an alfresco meal, cool them to room temperature and serve or refrigerate till ready to serve. When I pack the artichokes for a picnic I serve them with a green goddess dressing, which everyone loves. That recipe is also below.

Tips

• If you prefer, before serving, gently spread the leaves slightly apart and scoop out the choke.

• Green onions – perhaps everyone in the world knows this trick, but I only recently discovered it. To store green onions so that they will remain fresh, wash the onions and remove any wilted green parts. Pour an inch of water in a glass container and place the onions in the container so that the roots are covered with water. Cover the container with a plastic bag, secure the bottom with a rubber band, and store it in the refrigerator. This method will keep the green onions fresh for at least 7 – 10 days.

Blender Hollandaise

• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• A healthy sprinkle of cayenne pepper
• 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter

Place egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne in a blender. replace the lid on the blender. Blend the mixture for about 10 seconds. Melt the butter in a small saucepan until it is bubbling madly and is quite hot. Do not let it burn! When the butter is hot, turn the blender on high, and drizzle the butter into the blender through the opening in the lid. Turn the blender off and serve.

Tip

If you aren’t able to serve the hollandaise immediately, you may store it in the blender for 30 minutes. When ready to serve, loosen up the mixture by turning the blender on low and adding 1 tablespoon of warm water.

Green Goddess Dressing

This dressing could be referred to as perfectly balanced. It is decades old, and everything blends together perfectly–not one ingredient hits you in the face and proclaims, “Loot at me! I’m here, drowning out everything else.”

• 3 anchovy fillets, chopped
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 2-4 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon anchovy oil, from the anchovy tin
• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chives, chopped (optional)

Place all ingredients, except chives, in a food processor, and pulse till all of the ingredients are combined, 4 – 5 times. Pulsing more won’t hurt. Taste for seasoning. Depending on your mayonnaise brand it may need a touch of salt or a squeeze of lemon juice. Add chives if desired. (Note: the chives may shout, “Look at me!”