A: Hi Jamie,
Many thanks for dropping me a line, can you imagine the first person to consider eating an artichoke? I agree not the most obvious of vegetables. The artichoke is actually a thistle which may help explain a few things.
Firstly, pat yourself on the back, you went for it and cooked up some of these amazing veritable vegetable delights, that's the first step to artichoke addiction!
It sounds like you are on the right track, here is a little info that may help.
The basic anatomy of the choke:
Leaves: Also referred to as Bracks Choke: The fuzzy stuff in the middle Heart: The firm white meat in the center Stem: Is an extension of the heart, although fibrous exterior it contains good flavorful heart meat.
- Following cooking, I like to take out the very center leaves and using a dessert spoon, gently scrape away the fuzzy choke, this just makes it a little cleaner and easier for your guests to eat.
- Then pull each leaf, dip in butter, mayo or other great sauce and using you bottom teeth scrape the the meat and discard the leaf, discarding the leaf as you go.
- The goal is to eat all of the leaves exposing the "prize", the heart, that's when the fights typically start!
So you are correct in assuming you do NOT eat the entire leaf.
I hope this helps to de-mistify a little.
Happy Cooking,
Chef Tony Baker Montrio Bistro "Feel good about what you eat"
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