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Salmon and Frogs

Cooking Blog

Dinner, Vegetarian · 12 June 2020

The French mystery of eating the steamed leaves of an artichoke

Jump to Recipe
Level: Easy
Total time: 35min + 30min cool down

I still remember the first time I saw it many years ago. I walked past a typical French café in Paris and at one of the window table sat this very classy French couple with whole artichokes in their plates. It looked weird to me but I had to try. Steamed leaves of an artichoke has become a spring seasonal classic ever since. It is an extremely healthy vegetable; Among lots of benefits, it has strong antioxidant effects and helps reducing cholesterol. Kids also love to eat this vegetable as it is fun to go leaf by leaf.

steamed leaves of an artichoke image to get better visibility in Google
Artichoke ready to eat

THE TIPS TO SUCCEED

1: Make sure you stick a sharp item into the bottom of the artichoke to check that it has cooked to tender

2: It is better to cook it ready at least 30 minutes before you are going to eat. The artichoke leaves are too hot to eat straight from the steamer

Let’s get started

Ingredients

  • 4 pcs Artichoke
  • 3 tbsp Red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Wholegrain Mustard
  • 10 tbsp Olive oil (Adjust to get vinegar level to your taste)
  • Salt and Pepper

How to do it

Start by cleaning the artichokes. Hold it by the stem and fill it up with water before to violently shake it with its head down. Then hold the artichokes on the edge of a table and break of the stem with your hand. This way you get to remove the thick fibers in the bottom of the artichoke.

Put some water in your pressure cooker or steamer and add the artichokes heads down. Cover and cook for approximately 20 minutes. But the cooking time will vary depending on your equipment so you should pick the bottom with a sharp object to check that it is tender.

Take the artichokes out and put them aside (still heads down) to cool down for at least 30 minutes.

To make the dipping sauce add the vinegar, mustard and some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add slowly the olive oil while whisking vigorously with a fork until it thickens.

How to serve the steamed leaves of an artichoke

It is served simply plain in the plate. You tear off a leaf, dip it in the sauce and then drag off the “meat” from the leaf with your teeth. Once all the leaves are gone you cut away the hairy part around the heart of the artichoke and eat this last precious part of the vegetable.

Print Recipe

The french mystery of eating the steamed leaves of an artichoke

Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time35 mins
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: French
Keyword: Artichoke
Servings: 4 people

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker or steamer

Ingredients

  • 4 pcs Artichoke
  • 3 tbsp Red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Wholegrain Mustard
  • 10 tbsp Olive oil Adjust to get vinegar level to your taste
  • Salt and Pepper

Instructions

  • Fill up the artichokes with water. While holding the stem shake it vileiently heads town to rinse it well
  • Hold the head down towards the endge of a table and break of the stem using your hand. This way you get the thick fibers of the stem off at the same time
  • Add the artichokes heads down in a pressure cooker or steamer over a low level of water. Cover and cook to tender, or approx 20 minutes in a pressure cooker
  • Take it out of the cooker and let it cool down for at least 30 minutes, heads down
  • For the dipping sauce, mix the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper and add slowly the olive oil while you wisk vigorisly with a fork until the mixture thickens

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Posted In: Dinner, Vegetarian · Tagged: Easy

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I hope you find the recipes inspiring and helpful. Please leave a comment under the recipes if you have any questions or suggestions. Thank you so much for stopping by!

Benedikte

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