Artichoke Bottoms

By the RecipeCafe Archives

Ingredients

• 1 Artichokes (quantity as needed; see notes)
• 1 Water, sufficient to cover
• 1 Salt, to taste
• 1 Acid (lemon juice or vinegar), to taste
• 1 Hollandaise Sauce or Bechamel Sauce, for serving

Instructions

1. 1. Working one artichoke at a time, snap or cut off all outer leaves down to the pale inner leaves, then cut away the remaining inner leaves close to the base. Use a spoon or melon baller to scrape out and discard the fuzzy choke. Trim the bottom with a paring knife to a neat, rounded shape. (Technique note — acidulated water: as each bottom is trimmed, drop it immediately into a bowl of cold water acidulated with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice or white wine vinegar per 1 quart (950 ml) water to prevent browning.)
2. 2. Bring a saucepan of water to a full rolling boil. Season generously with salt and add a small amount of lemon juice or white wine vinegar to keep the artichoke bottoms pale (acidulated water technique: the acid inhibits enzymatic browning).
3. 3. Add the artichoke bottoms to the boiling acidulated water and cook 15–25 minutes, until completely tender when pierced with a paring knife — the knife should meet no resistance at the thickest point of the base, and the flesh should yield slightly when pressed with a fingertip. Cooking time will vary with the size and freshness of the artichokes.
4. 4. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well. Serve immediately, topped or accompanied by Hollandaise Sauce or Bechamel Sauce.