Artichokes are a treat in our family. They are our go to for celebrations and sometimes holidays, depending on the season.
In preparing for our last decent meal in our current apartment before we move, I was fixing artichokes – of course – 🙂 when I realized that I packed our pots and pans prematurely! Yikes. I left one large pot out thinking it would hold us over until the move, but these artichokes I found were so large, they wouldn’t all fit.
Never one to leave an artichoke to waste, I figured microwaving it would most certainly work. And it did!
The process is very simple and even easier than boiling them in a pan. See HERE for instructions for boiled or steamed artichokes.
– Wash your artichoke. Cut off the stem (I hear you can eat it, but I have never done so with success…too fibrous for me).
-You can snip the thorny tips and slice the top off artichoke if you like. I usually don’t, but just felt like it this time. I think they are prettier trimmed…
-Place your artichoke in a large glass bowl of water that allows you to submerged most of it, if not all.
When I fill up the bowl, I run the water into the leaves to help weight the artichoke down and to help it cook more evenly. It will still float a little bit, but the water in the leaves will keep it from bobbing around too much and will help it stay upright.
-Cover with heavy duty saran wrap. My plastic wrap states that it is for microwaving. I’m sure anything but the really cheap stuff will work. You can also cover the bowl with a ceramic plate.
-Microwave for 10-15 minutes. Then let it rest with the plastic wrap still intact for about 5-10 minutes.
**Please note that these times are approximates. Cooking time can vary with the size of your artichoke, how high powered your microwave is, and what altitude you are at.
I am at a fairly high altitude so I used the longer cooking and resting times. A good indicator is how green and murky the water turns. The water looks lighter in these pictures than it did in person. When the artichoke is done, the water should be pretty dark.
-Carefully peel back the plastic wrap.
-Let the steam run out.
-Then using tongs (or your fingers if you’re brave), pull off a leaf to see if it’s done. You should be able to easily scrape off the “meat” of the artichoke with your teeth.
If it is not done, wrap the artichoke bowl with a new piece of plastic wrap and cook for 5 minutes more.
– When it’s done, grab the artichoke with tongs, and flip it upside down to let all the water drain out. I give it a little squeeze as well.
Enjoy!
Oh… and go HERE for some easy butter dipping recipes.
Here’s the quick and dirty recipe for your convenience:
Microwaved Artichoke
Wash artichoke. Cut off the stem. Trim thorny tips if desired.
Submerge in large glass bowl of water filled 3/4 full. Cover tightly with high quality plastic wrap.
Microwave for 10-15 minutes. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
*Cooking times vary with size of artichoke, microwave and altitude.
Carefully peel back plastic wrap. Pull off a leaf to check for doneness.
Add another layer plastic wrap and microwave 5 minutes more if needed.
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I hope you have a great week! Our move is slated for this weekend, so I’ll see you when I see you! 😉
I have never had an artichoke like this. I must try it, thanks for sharing!
It looks delicious!
Lovely pictures!
yum! I'm going to have to try the microwave method, makes it
Wow, how beautiful they are. My grandma used to eat steamed artichokes when I was growing up and I was fascinated with watching her scrap those yummy bits off the leaves. I've sorely missed these beauties since we can't get them here and can not wait to devour a few once we head back to the States.
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Yummy… I've only eaten artichoke once in my life that I can remember, but I loved it. I definitely need to try making them! =)
love artichoke, but here in Canada are expensive. My mother cook some kind of pizza with them called porpeton. Mmmmmmmmmmmm
I could stare at your beautiful artichoke photos all day! Also, YUM.
I have a fond memory of having an artichoke at a friend's house as a kid. It was so much fun to try and get all the little bits from each leaf! You inspired me to go out and get an artichoke for lunch today, it was delish! And I agree, the butter and mayo combo is SO good 🙂 -Jen
Such gorgeous photos! Artichokes are my husband's favorite, but I rarely get them. Must change that stat!
Artichokes are so pretty! I've never really noticed that before, but your beautiful photos really showcase their texture and color. Good luck on your move!