ISO: ISO: How to cook an ENORMOUS artichoke (see inside for size of this puppy!)

In Search Of:

mistral

Well-known member
Saturday I purchased a really gigantic, enormous artichoke. This baby is beautiful, with a very long stem (10 inches or so) and I weighed it on my kitchen scale and it is 2lbs. 10 oz.!

I just want to eat the thing traditionally, with some butter, and I was thinking of splitting the head in half or even quarters so that boiling could penetrate more easily. Then I would not be cooking it to mush, I hope.

What do you think? Any suggestions?

Thanks.

 
Fry the bottom only with bacon and onions. Perfect with lamb. And I still

love the old tradional way of dipping the leaves in Hollandaise.

Now, how to do both. I guess, given the size, the bottom would have to be partly cooked anyway, so it should work well.

 
If I wanted it the old fashioned way, I think I would steam it in a covered dutch oven.

I would cut off the stem and try to sit this baby on something to keep it level. A screwtop canning lid works well on smaller ones, and a larger one for quarts should keep a larger one upright. Add a few inches of water with some lemon slices and salt. Bring to a boil on top of the stove, then cover and transfer to a moderate oven and let her go. As for timing? More experienced posters would have to help. But just thinking about it makes me wish I could find a 2+ pound artichoke! I would NOT invite company to help me eat it!

 
Back
Top