≡ Click to see image ≡

≡ Click to see image ≡

You may have got a bad artichoke. Did you by any chance sniff it first? Or, you may have got an old artichoke, especially by the time it shipped to Alaska.

Also, I am questioning the thyme in the stuffing.

Addendum: I like artichokes fairly well, but to be honest, their flavor is nothing special and not worth paying a lot.

I love artichokes, but I'm generally kind of "eh" about stuffed artichokes. They always seem like a lot of work for very little reward.

I could not find my thyme, so I used Italian seasoned breadcrumbs instead. And it is highly likely that the artichoke was old, mist of our produce is. What should it smell/look like?

And what are some other dipping sauce options besides butter?

Seems complex. We jam garlic cloves (peeled) between the leaves, drizzle with olive oil, and then add some salt and pepper. Put in a pan standing up, filled maybe halfway with water, and cook. I love the flavor of artichokes, it seems like stuffing them would just overshadow it since it isn't very strong.

So tasty. I've actually never even thought of adding a sauce or dip to it. Now I'm curious....

I was also disappointed by artichokes. Basically the taste and texture of balsa wood.

I don't know what the big deal is either. My family loved fresh steamed artichokes, but I wasn't all that impressed. Seemed like a lot of work for little payback for me.

I'm not that into 'em either. They're okay and I do enjoy the heart a lot but all that work just to get at the heart and all that pretending that scraping the meat of the leaves into your mouth is a fun way to get there is beyond me.

But I love butter, so dunking that entire heart into it and pushing it down with my fork 'til it's sopped up every bit of butter it can is pretty great.

Try a jar of artichoke hearts maybe? Less work - more chance to experience yum.

*seconds gomichild*

Artichokes are OK to me - Mrs. Plinth LOOOVES them. For me, they are a vehicle for something else, usually fat laden. I prefer dipping the leaves in butter or in aioli.

Oddly, Mrs. Plinth and I are the opposite about lobster. She likes it (but it's mostly a vehicle for something else, usually fat laden), whereas I adore eating those over sized cockroaches.

I'm a butter-fan so the classic dip in butter is HEAVEN to me. I always liked spending a silly amount of time eating them too, like when you eat chips or something, except at the dinnertable and engrossed in conversation. So I like the ritual as well. Fot hot artichoke slightly browned garlic butter or lemon butter (unsalted in both cases) is the best IMHO. Other people do complicated mayo's and even mustard or curry-mayo dips. Found this:

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 head garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
1 dash salt
Roast the head of garlic by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Cut the top off of a head of garlic and cut the bottom (the root end) so that the garlic will sit flat. Remove most of the papery skin from the garlic, but leave just enough to hold the garlic together. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the garlic, then place it in a small oven-safe casserole dish.

Cover it with a lid or aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour or until the garlic begins to brown.

Squeeze about 1 tablespoon of roasted garlic from the head and combine it with the mayo, lemon juice and salt. Stir well.

Personally, I like the taste of the actual hot artichoke and always go several leaves without dipping. It's a very pale flavour so I don't see it working well with for example, cury. Garlic does do something extra to it though. Maybe give that a go.

I love artichoke, but I honestly can't see the appeal of eating it without dip. Maybe try one more time (not thyme, stupid fingers) with the dip of your choice? Vinaigrette and hollandaise are both good.

Instead of butter, my dad always dipped the leaves in a mixture of mayonnaise and Worcestershire Sauce.

Make sure you're eating the right part of the leaf - the whitish base is the tastiest part - and it's definitely an acquired taste. Also, I find that the smaller leaves near the heart of the artichoke are the tastiest - the ones on the outside don't really have a lot of meat on them to make it worthwhile.

I love them. Like, a lot.

My preferred dip is a balsamic vinaigrette. (Balsamic, olive oil, and oregano for me.) Basil aioli is also good.

I prepare them this way:

1. Trim off the tops. Rub cut edges with a lemon so that they don't brown (as much).
2. Peel off the outer leaves on the bottom -- though you don't really peel, it's more of a snap. You want the meaty white part to stay attached. And this is one of the ways you'll know if it's fresh. If the leaves are limp and won't snap, you've got yourself an old one.
3. Cut in half lengthwise. Rub cut parts with lemon.
4. Steam for 20-25 minutes (or more, depending on size), or until you can easily pierce the heart with a knife. Don't let it get mushy, though.
5. Scrape out the fuzzy choke with a spoon.
6. Eat.

I also sometimes boil them, although they can get a touch waterlogged that way. If I boil them, I put copious amounts of cajun spice in the water. You could also use crab boil.

Aaaaaand they're great grilled as well. Steam or boil until they're almost tender, then finish on the grill. They're yummy when they get charred and smokey like that.

One good way to test the age of an artichoke before you buy it: give it a gentle squeeze. It should be firm and resistant, not limp or flaccid. A perfectly fresh artichoke will even make a little squeaky sound as you squeeze it.

I looooooooove plain steamed artichokes (just trimmed and rubbed with lemon, then steamed in a pot of salted water with lemon juice, a couple of garlic cloves, and a few peppercorns), but for me stuffed artichokes are pretty shrug-worthy.

Were you drinking wine with them? Unless the wine was carefully chosen with artichokes in mind, that can make for an offputting experience. I like artichokes, and I like wine, but I generally don't drink wine while I'm eating artichokes.

I know several people who don't care for artichokes, and I can understand their objections. It's an odd, slightly sweet, slightly tinny taste, but it does hook some people --- like me.

firm and resistant, not limp or flaccid

Thanks a lot. Now everytime I drink a Sprite, I think about artichokes.

I'm agreeing with everyone who says just to buy a jar (not can) of hearts, and rinse them well because they're usually packed in oil and vinegar. I like to stir them into risotto during the end of cooking; they just sort of melt into the texture of the creamy rice and every bite will have a tender little leaflet in it and oh man.

≡ Click to see image ≡

What can I say? I like my artichokes firm and squeaky, like I like my men.

I usually steer clear of the jarred marinated artichokes, because I don't care for the dressing, but the rinse-and-risotto treatment sounds ideal. I'll try it sometime!

I hear you can buy artichoke bottoms frozen. These are different from the canned hearts; rather than a tiny heart surrounded by clusters of leaves, this is just a saucer of heart meat, like you get when you carve all the leaves and choke from a raw artichoke. I've only seen the frozen artichoke bottoms once, though.

You didn't do anything wrong except you tried to eat an artichoke. My nephew's nickname for them is artie-gag.

oooh, I also put the jarred marinated artichoke hearts in stromboli, and sometimes in pesto-based dishes. or cream sauce pastas. mmm mmm mmm

Oooh, artichokes!

I like artichoke hearts on pizza.

I'm not big on stuffed artichokes, but I like them with melted (lemon) butter or mayonnaise.