I used to steam whole artichokes — then a TikTok chef halved them before steaming and suggested removing the choke after cooking. It’s faster, neater and makes cooking artichokes less fiddly. Try steaming halves and finish them in garlic butter for a pretty, tasty plate.
Artichokes are my favourite vegetable and the ritual of eating them, pulling leaves, dipping them in a sharp lemony sauce, digging out the heart and smearing it with sauce like butter on bread, is pure bliss. I’ve eaten them this way my whole life, but I’m not about to publish a three-word recipe: “Just boil them.” A few years back I switched from boiling to steaming and found steaming yields a less soggy, more evenly cooked result — still too simple to merit a post alone, but a recent discovery changed that.
A few weeks ago, chef Hailee Catalano (a creator well worth following) steamed artichokes with two small but brilliant changes that transformed my approach.
Halving before steaming — Hailee cuts each artichoke in half before steaming. I’d seen that technique in roasted-artichoke recipes but never for steaming. It’s brilliant: halved artichokes soften faster (about 30 minutes), and they sit on the plate neatly instead of rolling around.
Remove the choke after cooking — Many recipes recommend removing the fuzzy choke before cooking because it’s easy to access. Hailee’s move is the opposite: keep the choke in place during cooking. Once steamed, the choke slips out cleanly and easily — far simpler than wrestling it out raw.
Optional finish: sear in garlic butter — Her final flourish is searing the cooked halves in a skillet with plenty of garlic butter and basting them. As a purist the extra step didn’t increase my personal joy much (but it didn’t hurt — garlic butter is always welcome). For company or a prettier plate, the sear is delightful.
Sometimes I skip trimming — the thorny tips soften and nearly disappear after steaming; try one and judge for yourself.
Rubbing cut parts with lemon to prevent browning is mostly unnecessary — they brown during cooking anyway. Save pricey lemons for the finish where they truly shine.
Globe artichokes aren’t inherently superior to smaller ones — they just have bigger chokes; save money if you like.
Buying artichokes in places where they’re abundant (West Coast, Italy) makes me mildly envious.
Servings | Time | Source |
|---|---|---|
~1 artichoke per person | ~45 minutes total (including 25–30 min steaming) | Adapted from Smitten Kitchen with tips from Hailee Catalano |
Amount | Item |
|---|---|
2–3 artichokes | Full-sized, fresh |
1–2 | Lemons, halved (optional for rubbing / finishing) |
To taste | Salt & freshly ground black pepper |
As desired | Big pat of butter (optional, for finishing) |
2–3 cloves | Garlic, halved lengthwise (optional, for finishing) |
For dipping | Mayonnaise (makes a quick lemony dip) |
Cut off the bottom inch of thorny leaves from each artichoke. Remove small discoloured leaves near the stem. Peel the outer layer of the stem with a vegetable peeler. Halve each artichoke lengthwise through stem, heart and leaves. If you like, rub lemon over the cut surfaces to slow browning (optional).
Put a couple inches of water in a large lidded pot and fit a steamer basket in the bottom. Add the artichoke halves (they can sit standing or flopped). Squeeze juice of half a lemon over them and tuck the empty lemon half in the pot for aroma. Cover and steam over moderate heat for 25–30 minutes, until a knife tip slips easily into the thickest part where leaves meet stem.
Using tongs, move the hot halves to a board. With a spoon or paring knife, remove and discard the fuzzy choke — once steamed it slips out cleanly.
For a showy finish, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add butter and garlic, and when hot place cut-side-down artichoke halves into the pan. Cook until browned and crisp underneath, then transfer to a platter. Repeat and pour any leftover garlic-butter over the artichokes. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir about 1–2 tablespoons mayonnaise with the juice of half a lemon; season generously with black pepper and a pinch of salt. Add more lemon or mayo to taste.
Leftover artichoke halves keep for a few days in the fridge. Rewarm gently in the microwave or oven covered so they don’t dry out.
Trimming the thorns is optional — they often soften with steam.
Lemon rubbing before cooking is optional and not essential; save lemon to squeeze over the finished artichoke.
Larger globe artichokes have bigger chokes — not necessarily better.
The halving + post-steam-choke-removal combo is a surprisingly useful workflow that speeds cooking and makes cleanup easier.
