Equipment
Ingredients
Artichokes and Steaming Aromatics
- 2 globe artichokes, whole
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 bay leaf, whole dried
Lemon Butter Sauce
- 115 g unsalted butter
- 1 garlic, smashed
- 3 g sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Using a serrated knife, cut off the top quarter of each artichoke. Trim the stems close to the base so the artichokes can stand upright. Use kitchen scissors to snip the sharp thorns off the remaining outer leaves. Immediately rub all cut surfaces with one of the lemon halves to prevent browning.
Fill the large pot with enough water to reach just below the steamer insert without touching it. Squeeze the juice from the rubbing lemon half into the water, then drop the spent rind into the pot along with the bay leaf. Bring the water to a rapid boil at 100°C or 212°F.
Place the prepared artichokes stem-side down in the steamer basket. Cover the pot tightly, reduce the heat to medium to maintain a steady steam, and cook for 40 to 45 minutes. Check the water level halfway through, carefully adding more hot water if the pot is drying out.
While the artichokes steam, prepare the dipping sauce. Melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the smashed garlic clove and let it infuse the butter at a gentle simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, extract and discard the garlic clove, and whisk in the juice from the remaining lemon half, sea salt, and black pepper.
Transfer the warm steamed artichokes to serving plates. Pour the warm lemon garlic butter into small individual ramekins. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Rubbing the cut surfaces of the artichoke with lemon immediately prevents enzymatic browning or oxidation, keeping the vegetable looking vibrant.
- Do not skip checking the water level during the steaming process. A dry pot will scorch and emit an incredibly harsh, bitter smoke that can ruin the flavor of the artichoke.
- Infusing the steaming water with aromatic elements like the lemon rind and bay leaf imparts a very subtle, fragrant background note to the steamed flesh.
- Save the fuzzy inner choke removal for the table. It acts as a protective blanket keeping the prized artichoke heart hot while you eat the leaves.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store leftover artichokes and butter sauce in separate airtight containers. The butter will solidify when cold.
Reheating: Reheat artichokes gently in a steamer for 5 minutes. Reheat butter sauce in a saucepan over low heat.
