Similar to the center seeds of a melon, the Artichoke also has a center to be removed before eating. The “fuzzy choke” center can be easily removed after being cooked. Depending on how you plan to serve your Artichoke, there are three ways to remove the fuzzy choke:
Serving a whole, cooked Artichoke as an appetizer is the most common method, allowing one or more persons to pull off and eat the individual petals. When you get to the round area at the base, scoop out the fuzzy top layer and enjoy the Heart! Slice the scrumptious Heart into bite size pieces.
An ideal side dish is to take the whole, cooked Artichoke and cut it in half from the top through the end of the stem. Use a spoon and scoop out the fuzzy center of the Artichoke Heart from both halves. You then have two individual Artichoke servings.
Spread open the petals of a cooked Artichoke to expose the center petals. Pull the tender petals up and out of the Artichoke so that the Artichoke Heart is exposed. Using a spoon, carefully remove the fuzzy top layer without scraping away the Heart. Now the Artichoke is ready to serve or stuff.
